


All These Twisted Things

by Latchingontoyou



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-04-03 18:47:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 71,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4111237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Latchingontoyou/pseuds/Latchingontoyou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What secrets and disasters lie within the world of vampire hunting? House of Hollis will reveal much as everyone begins to ask questions and discover what lies underneath the surface of a well respected house of vampire hunters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dangerous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: detailed sex scene
> 
> "******" means same character pov just different day

**_Carmilla_ **

“Laura wait,” I whispered as I noticed her grip the hilt of her sword tighter.

“He is going to drain her dry,” she clipped.

“We don’t know that for sure. He just started feeding a few seconds ago.”

“It only takes two minutes for them to get full and leave their victim alive.”

“I know that. It hasn’t been two minutes yet.” The grip on her sword tightened even more. “Laura no.” She lunged off the tree branch we were perched on and made a dash for the vampire as soon as she landed on the balls of her feet. “Damn it Laura,” I cursed. I quickly notched an arrow and sent it flying toward the vampire as a signal to proceed forward.

Laura took a wide arch approach to the right of the vampire as the vampire let go of his meal to focus on my arrow. Danny bounded out from her position at the vampire’s back while Kirsch quickly sent a knife flying to the vampire from his left side. I sent another arrow flying straight at the vampire’s heart as he swatted away my first one only to have his hand begin to burn. The arrow is painted black, but it is still silver you imbecile. I sent a third arrow flying just as Laura got in close with her sword. I jumped down from the tree branch and sprinted over to the vampire.

Laura swung her arming sword at the vampire’s midsection as Danny came up behind it with her own Schiavona sword. The vampire dodged Laura’s sword then ducked under Danny’s. He bent backwards as Kirsch’s next knife soared above his head. The vampire used his speed to quickly reach into his coat pocket for his own weapon. He was wielding a pair of Sai weapons and began to easily deflect Danny and Laura’s swords. Kirsch joined in with his own katana and the three began to dance around the vampire trying to get in a killing hit.

I unsheathed my backsword just in time to block a strike aimed at Laura’s back. I shoved against the strength of the vampire who pulled back in time to dodge Danny’s thrust to his exposed ribcage. We had the vampire surround now. Laura and I made a move to make low strikes while Danny and Kirsch moved to make high strikes. The vampire struggled to keep up with the four of us despite his strength and speed advantage. He could not really use them if he was off balance for the most part. His movements began to even out as he quickly caught on to our tempo. He smugly smirked and that’s when Danny and I switched. We were on opposite ends of the vampire, so she began to aim for low strikes while I aimed for high ones while Laura and Kirsch continued with their own strikes.

The combination of having low and high strikes coming from all four corners instead of high from the front and low from the back threw the vampire off. He began to make mistakes as our blades sliced into his skin. Steam rose from the fresh wounds as the silver of our weapons burned through his flesh. His movements began to falter even more due to the pain and it wasn’t long until Laura was able to slice his right hand off. Kirsch lunged forward and sank his blade deep into the vampire’s exposed chest. The vampire dropped his remaining Sai on the ground as the spider webs of silver began to crawl across his flesh filling his veins. The vampire choked out unnecessary air before finally becoming a pile of ash on the ground.

I sheathed my backsword and clenched my jaw tightly as I turned away from the group to walk over to the victim. She was a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties. I slid her hair away from her neck to inspect the fang marks that were placed there. Small droplets of blood still flowed out from the puncture wounds. I took my handkerchief out of my pocket and dabbed at the blood. I then pulled a vile of green liquid out of my inside right coat pocket and spilled a few drops onto the wound. It hissed and steam rose up from the marks as they sealed shut. I scanned the floor until I found her small brown bag. I opened it and rifled through it looking for some form of identification. I found a school identification card with her name printed on it. I took out my black book from my left inside coat pocket and flipped through the pages until getting to an empty spot. I wrote her name in my book. _Elizabeth Ryan-victim (not turned/dead)_.I shut my book close and slid it back into my pocket.

“How is she?”

I closed the bag up and laid it down with her body giving myself time to compose my emotions. “She is fine. She still has a pulse and I recorded her in my book.” I stood up and turned to look at Laura with a blank face. “We will do the standard surveillance for the next three days to make sure she remains unchanged.”

She nodded her head as she looked at me coldly. “I will arrange the shifts.” She gripped the hilt of her sword as she turned away from me. “Kirsch you’re in charge of getting the young woman back home without being noticed. Danny you will be his reinforcement. Carmilla and I will head back to the mansion to give our report to my father. I will see you both when you return.”

“Yes ma’am,” Kirsch said as he moved to pick the young woman up from the ground.

I turned around and began to walk back in the direction of where our horses lie. This was going to be a silent ride back.

* * *

 

**_Laura_ **

I opened the double doors to my room and walked over to my desk placing the papers down on top of it. I listened as she closed the doors behind her and walked closer to me. She stopped in the middle of my room and waited. I slipped my gloves off and tossed them onto my desk before beginning to take my armour off.

I kept my back to her as I spoke. “Are you going to continue to be angry with me?”

“Are you going to continue to speak to me with your back turned like a coward or face me?”

I held my tongue at the remark and gripped my chest armour tightly. I opened my wardrobe and placed it in its spot. I took off my ringlets and placed them within the wardrobe as well. I turned to face her as I untied my sword from my hip. “I made the right decision.”

She scoffed and shook her head. “You made a decision. That does not make it the right one.”

“He was going to drain her dry.” I placed my sword down on top of my desk.

“You could not know that for sure. You refused to wait the mandatory two minutes because of your own foolish whims of justice.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at her. “Would you have preferred me to let her die?”

“I would have preferred you to listen to reason, but that seems to be a concept that is too hard for you to grasp.”

I dug my nails into my arms. “You will not speak to me like that in my house!” I snapped.

“Your father’s house!” She spat back. “It is not yours until you can prove that you can lead it once he steps down or dies.”

I uncrossed my arms and balled my hands into fists. “What would you have had me do then? Wait for your petty pleas to not kill the vampire too soon to stop before I accomplished our task. The decisions I make keep us alive while yours will only get us killed.”

Her jaw clenched and her grip on the hilt of her sword tightened until her knuckles were an even paler white. “Not all vampires are murderers!” She yelled.

“And not all of them are saints!” I responded.

She leveled an ice cold glare my way that made me feel like I was being pierced by knives. “Neither are we.” She clenched her jaw then turned and walked out of the room.

The doors slammed behind her and I was left alone in my room with her last words hanging in the air threatening to swallow me whole. I made a mistake no doubt and she will make me pay for it until I apologize. I sighed and went to my other wardrobe across the room and changed into my sparring clothes. I will ask Danny to spar with me as soon as she has returned.

 

 

 

 

 

I blocked her and aimed a punch at her stomach. She took a half step back to avoid it then rocked forward to aim another strike at me with the practice sword. I jumped back to avoid it and momentarily lost my balance. She lurched forward and aimed another blow to my right knee. I flipped backwards with my left hand to avoid the strike and regained my balance once my feet hit the ground. I held my practice sword up as we began to circle each other.

“You know you will need to speak with her eventually correct?” She asked.

“Yes, but I don’t believe I was in the wrong.”

She lunged forward for a strike that I easily deflected. “We all know your position on vampires as well as we know hers. It is why you two are the most capable leaders. It is also the reason as to why our group has not been killed off by now.”

I moved forward to strike at her right elbow which she avoided with ease. “What is your point?”

“My point is that you must stop allowing your hatred for vampires to cloud your judgement at times. Yes she has her own clouded judgement at times, but yours can just as easily get us injured or killed as much as hers. You are not better than her because you are more willing to kill.”

I lunged forward again to strike the inside of her forearm. She moved to block it and at the last moment placed the sword in her left hand then aimed a fist at my face. It collided with my cheek and I stumbled to the side. I pressed my hand to my cheek and moved my jaw to make sure I could still use it. I looked back at her with a raised eyebrow.

“You didn’t hold back.”

“You did not say I had to.” She moved over to me and took my practice sword from my hand. “Go speak with her or else we shall all suffer from the both of you being on bad terms and that is not something we wish to deal with both during missions and at home.” She moved over to the weapons wall and hung the practice swords in their proper place.

“I didn’t say we were finished,” I grumbled.

“Your name may be Hollis, but that does not change the nature of our friendship. I say we are finished.” She turned back to me with an exhausted gaze. “Now go speak with her before the evening has ended. I heard she had volunteered to help patrol the wall.”

I rubbed my cheek again and nodded. “You do know she will have your head for striking me like this.”

“I am well aware,” she smirked and began to walk out of the training room. “Though she will understand that you needed this one for your own good.”

“What does that mean?”

“I am sure she will tell you.” She walked out the doors leaving me alone in the training room. I rolled my eyes and made my way to the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

I opened the wooden door that led to the wall and stepped out into the cold night. It was much colder from this height and I did my best to not show that it was affecting me. I did not want the sentries to think me weak. I walked across the wall with purpose until I arrived to where she was stationed. She stood in the middle of the wall with her head tilted back looking up at the stars above. Fortunately she didn’t look as angry as she was earlier, but the dark skies littered with bright stars had that effect on her. It was one way to get her to calm down and to speak without malice while still speaking frankly.

“We don’t put you on patrol so you can look at the stars,” I said teasingly.

She whipped her head to the side to look at me. “Luckily I volunteered then,” she responded emotionless.

I looked away from her to the ground and listened as the sound of her footsteps against the cobblestone came closer to me. “I wish to speak with you.” I looked up to see her move pass me with her coat in her hands.

“What of?” She placed her coat on my shoulders.

I slid my arms through her coat and pulled it shut. “Our conversation earlier.”

“What of it?”

She moved to stand between me and the surrounding forest. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior. It was wrong of me to lash out at you in that way.” She hummed and tapped her fingers against the hilt of her sword. “I also want to apologize for not adhering to your counsel earlier about the vampire. It was wrong of me to do so.”

She gently lifted my chin with her fingers and turned my left cheek toward her to inspect it better. “Danny?”

“Yes.”

She glanced around us quickly before pressing a chaste kiss to the injury. She released my chin and stood up straighter. “I would have her head, but since you acted like an ass tonight, I will allow this one to pass.”

I gaped at her as a small smile crossed her face. “That explains why she said you would not mind it this time.”

“Indeed.” She tapped her thumb against the end of the hilt of her sword. “I need you to listen to my counsel for though not all vampires are saints, there are some that mean no harm. There is also the matter of respect. If you do not respect my words then how will the rest of our group respect them?”

I nodded my head. “You are correct. I will be more forthcoming in taking in your counsel from here on out.”

“I would hope so.” She placed her hand gently on my elbow. “Now it is time for you to get to bed m’lady. We must rise early tomorrow and we cannot have you be exhausted.”

I allowed her to escort me along the wall. She kept herself placed between me and the surrounding forest. “Do not stay up here too long into the night. They need you at your best as much as they need me.”

She opened the door for me. “I will be here for a while longer.” She released my elbow. “Good night m’lady.” I began to shed her coat off. “Keep it. You still need to cross the grounds before retreating back into the mansion.”

“Are you sure? It is quite chilly up here.”

“I am sure. I do not feel the cold as much as you do. Now go.”

“Good night Carmilla.”

“Good night.”

I walked down the staircase alone. What she meant to say is that she still needs time to clear her head of our earlier discussion and actions. Once her head is empty, she will return to her own bed and get much needed rest. I walked across the grounds and entered the mansion. Tomorrow will be a new day as well as a long one. I despise meetings with the other households, but they were beneficial for continued cooperation. I must get my rest. I will have to deal with the many male counterparts who do not believe I am fit to run this household and that one of their sons should do so. It takes great strength to hold my tongue as well as to not cut all of their heads off. I slipped into my room and shed my clothes in favor of my night gown. I climbed into bed and soon fell to sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

I began to rouse from my sleep as a warm hand trailed up my thigh pushing my sleeping gown up my body. The hand trailed over my stomach before stopping to cup my breast. Wet kisses pressed against my neck as another hand slid along my waist before sliding down my undergarments.

“I take it I am forgiven?” I said with a raspy voice.

Her kisses traveled up my neck to my ear as her fingers moved further down to circle my clitoris with minimal pressure. “Yes my love. You are forgiven.”

She pinched my nipple between her forefinger and thumb causing me to gasp. “Carmilla,” I moaned.

Her fingers slid down to my entrance. She circled my entrance collecting my wetness onto her fingers before sliding them back up to press against my clitoris. I gasped loudly. “Shhh…my love. You do not want others to hear you,” she whispered huskily.

I reached behind me and slid my fingers into her curly hair. She rolled my nipple between her fingers while she pressed her fingers hard against my clitoris as she rubbed it in a slow circular rhythm. I bit down on my bottom lip as I gripped her curls tighter. Her fingers slid back down to my entrance where I was now wetter than before. She slipped a finger into me and I could not hold in the moan that escaped loudly from my mouth. I tilted my head back and she pressed kisses against my fully exposed neck. She slowly slid her finger in-and-out of me. I panted and moved my hand from her hair to her shoulder. She slid her second finger inside me and I gripped her shirt tightly within my hand. I arched my back as her fingers slid even deeper into me as she held my lower body flushed against her. I moaned out again. I hope no one heard me.

Her fingers moved in-and-out of me slowly as I turned my face toward her. She captured my lips in a hungry kiss as her hand moved over to my other breast. Her fingers pulled slightly on my nipple making me groan into the kiss. This nipple was more sensitive than the other. She curled her fingers inside me pressing against my sensitive spot as her tongue slipped into my mouth. I moaned into her mouth as her tongue slid against mine. She worked her fingers against my sensitive spot in a combination of slow and fast thrusts. I pulled back from the kiss, but kept my lips parted. I glanced down at her mouth to see she left her lips parted and hovered just above my own. It was as if she wished to devour every one of my panting breaths. I pressed my lips against hers without engaging or encouraging a kiss. I wanted her to take in every breath I let out. I gripped her shirt tighter and dug my nails into her shoulder as I panted into her mouth.

Her palm pressed against my clitoris and rubbed it roughly as she thrusts her fingers into me with more vigor. I panted more quickly into her mouth and closed my eyes. I began to thrust against her hand trying to match her tempo. My breaths became more erratic as I did my best to hold back the moans I so desperately wanted to release. I was getting close to my climax and could no longer fight the small moans that accompanied my mounting release. Her mouth pressed against mine in a desperate kiss as I let out an unrestrained moan that could still be heard despite her best efforts to muffle it as my back arched away from her. She stilled her fingers as my walls clenched tightly around them. After a moment she began to slowly work me down from the bliss that coursed through my body. I settled back against her and her kiss went from desperate to lovingly slow and tender. She trailed her hand down to rest against my stomach before pulling away from the kiss. She slid her fingers out from me and brought them to her mouth. She sucked my cum off them before I pulled her into another kiss wanting to taste myself on her lips and tongue.

I turned the front of my body to her then pressed against her shoulder pushing her onto her back as I rolled on top of her. I straddled her leg and slid my hand under her shirt. I traveled up the taught muscles of her stomach to her breast and groped her firmly. She bit down on my bottom lip. I hummed with satisfaction and played with her nipple as I pressed my knee against where her clitoris was. She groaned and thrust against my knee for friction. I trailed my hand back down her stomach and slipped it underneath her trousers. Unlike myself, she did not wear undergarments to sleep. I moved my knee away from her in favor of pressing my fingers against her clitoris. I rubbed her roughly because I knew she wanted an immediate release. Her nails scratched down my back until they rested on my buttocks. She shifted her thigh that rested between my legs before gripping me tightly and pulling me against her. I moaned at the friction I received from the motion. I ground against her thigh as my desire for her grew again.

I slid my fingers down to her entrance pooling with wetness. I rolled my fingers around lathering them up with her wetness before sliding two fingers into her. She grunted then breathed heavily at the feeling while pulling me tighter against her thigh. I gasped from the amount of pressure against my clitoris. She pulled me toward her hips causing my clitoris to rub roughly against her thigh. I began to rock against her thigh as she held me firmly against her. I placed my free hand at the side of her head and desperately rocked against her thigh. I pressed the palm of my hand against her clitoris and thrust my fingers unrelentingly fast against her sensitive spot. Her breaths rapidly escaped from her mouth as her head tilted back against the pillow exposing her delicious neck. I leaned down and began to kiss and bite her neck.

She moaned and dug her nails into my buttocks. I relinquished her neck and she brought her head up. I pressed my forehead against hers and we both breathed against each other’s mouths as we got closer to our simultaneous release. I worked my palm against her clitoris faster as I thrust against her thigh as quickly as possible. She pressed her lips closer against mine and breathed more fully into my mouth. It was not long before I pressed a desperate kiss to her mouth as I moaned loudly. I kept thrusting my fingers into her until she too released an unrestrained moan into my mouth. I gently eased her back down then slid my fingers out of her. I placed my fingers into my mouth and sucked her cum off them savoring the delicious taste of her. She placed a hand on the back of my neck and pulled me down to meet her lips. Her tongue swiped along my bottom lip before entering my mouth. Her tongue slid against mine and she hummed at the taste of her on my tongue.

She pulled away from the kiss then relaxed down onto my bed. She straightened out her leg and I lay down on her more comfortably. I pressed my ear against her chest to listen to her rapidly beating heart. Our breaths were heavy as our bodies worked to calm down. Her hand slid under the back of my night gown and she placed her hand against my back. She rubbed gentle circles against it and hummed a soft tune. I closed my eyes feeling the exhaustion settling in. I fought the cloud of sleep for I knew once I was deeply asleep she would slip out of my room and walk back to her own. It was this way for if my father knew of us, he would have her killed. I could not lose her. I soon fell into a deep sleep despite my best efforts to stay awake.

* * *

 

**_Carmilla_ **

I waited a little while longer to ensure that she was in a deep enough sleep to not wake as I slipped out from under her. I slid to the edge of the bed and got up. I stretched my arms above my head to stretch out my back. I turned back to her and pulled her sleeping gown down as much as possible then pulled the blanket up to tuck her in. I pushed her hair off her forehead and bent down to place a soft kiss to it.

“Good night my love,” I whispered.

I walked over to her door and opened it slightly. I peered down the hall just outside her door then opened the door some more to fit my head through. I looked down both ends of the adjoining hall before slipping out of her room. I closed her door silently behind me then made my way down the right hallway toward my own bedroom. It was easier to be silent when barefoot, but the stone floor was ice against my feet. I stopped at the next adjoining hallway and peered around the corner to look down both ends. I turned into the left hallway and continued my way to my room. I did not get far before I saw someone coming toward me. Unfortunately this hallway did not have a nook with a suit of armour tucked into it for me to duck into and hide until the person passed.

“It’s just me Carmilla.”

I relaxed as I realized it was LaFontaine. “What are you doing out of bed?”

“I could ask you the same question, but I already know the answer to that.” They stood before me with a smug look on their face. “You should be more careful. If I was anyone else I would be bringing you before Sir Hollis.”

I raised an eyebrow at them as I saw what they were holding. “As I would be bring you before him for taking your work outside of its room.”

They tucked the small black book under their arm to hide as much of it as possible. “Be careful Carmilla,” they warned.

“You as well.”

We walked pass each other. I made it to my room without further interruptions and climbed into my bed. I pulled the covers up to my waist and placed my hand over my heart where Laura’s head was resting not long before. I could still feel her warmth against my chest above my racing heart. I closed my eyes allowing for that warmth to relax me into a deep sleep.

************

I walked along the dining hall until I took a seat next to Danny. She stiffened as she took a bite from her apple. “No need to worry Danny. She deserved that one.”

She chewed her apple silently. “I thought you would agree.”

“Make no mistakes; I will pay you back in full if it happens again without good reason.”

“Noted.” She bit into her apple again as I began to eat my oatmeal. “I take it you resolved things then?” She asked after a moment of silence.

I chewed my oatmeal as I glanced around the dining hall quickly. “We did.”

She hummed. “Good. I dislike going into long meetings where the both of you are angry at one another. It is difficult enough to keep her from maiming someone without also trying to restrain her from going after you as well.”

“I would allow her to cut down one of the others.”

“Indeed you would.”

“It would be a great source of entertainment.” She hummed in response.

I looked around the dining hall again and my eyes settled on her figure as she grabbed her food. She walked along the table until she got to the head of it. She sat to the right of her father. They immediately engaged in conversation. I looked away.

“LaFontaine told me about last night. I need not remind you of the consequences if you were to be caught.”

“I understand the consequences.”

“Then be more careful,” she warned.

I rolled my eyes. “I have been warned enough.”

She stood up from the table. “If you had you would not have gotten caught last night.” She walked away from the table.

I sighed and forced down the rest of my oatmeal despite my lack of appetite. I need not think of this as we head into our meeting today. I need a clear head. I will think of such things another time. I looked down the table again and briefly met her gaze. I looked away quickly. It is dangerous territory we venture through. I shall never forget that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can follow me at musictomyearshsau.tumblr.com for updates, to ask questions, or other stuff.


	2. Werewolves

**_Carmilla_ **

I followed Laura back to her bedroom while keeping an eye on our surroundings. Laura was not pleased with the results of the meeting and was displaying her discontent for all to see. If anyone should see her, her status as the next in line to lead will vanish. They will see her as unfit to lead the house and the leadership will be passed on to her spouse instead. If this house has any hope of change it will only happen if she were the one to lead. I cannot allow for another to take her place. I cannot allow the secrets of this house to fall into the wrong hands.

Laura forcefully pushed the doors to her bedroom opened and walked inside. The others were sitting in her room waiting for our arrival as was customary after meetings. I quickly shut the doors and latched the lock into place before moving to stand by the others. LaFontaine and Kirsch sat up straight and Danny stood taller. I stood next to Danny and observed Laura as she gripped the hilt of her sword. She walked behind her desk while unstrapping her sword and seated herself in her high back chair before closing her eyes and inhaling a calming breath as she placed her sword across her lap. She exhaled slowly.

“It will seem that the House of Steinberg wishes to expand their hunting skills to include the hunting of werewolves,” Laura calmly spoke as her hands gripped around the sheath of her sword. Danny tensed up instantly at the words. “My father was able to keep that from happening until they can prove that they are able to hunt them without fail. The conditions are for members of their house to train with the House of Armitage. When they believe that the members from Steinberg are able to hunt effectively, they will give my father notice and house of Steinberg will join the House of Lawrence in being the second house to hunt werewolves and vampires.” Danny’s hands clenched tightly into fists at the mention of her family’s house. “For now we must find a way to get Danny to the designated location without the other houses gaining sight of her.” Laura stood up and placed her sword on her desk.

“I have obtained the schedule and placed JP on the wall along with Kirsch and yourself. That will leave Carmilla to stay with Danny tonight, but Perry has been informed of the story she must tell if anyone should question where Carmilla and Danny have gone,” LaFontaine spoke.

“Give Perry my gratitude,” Laura said in thanks.

“I shall.” LaFontaine stood and turned to gaze upon me. “Perry has more arrows for you and wishes for you to come by the armory to collect them.”

“Inform her that I shall be there as soon as I am able,” I said.

They nodded their head and walked out of the room. Once the doors had shut behind them Laura cleared her throat to gain our attention once more. “The other houses will be attempting to prove that they are worthy of being the next to lead our alliance, so they may attempt to overthrow our sentry stations or antagonize us to show that we are incapable of defending our own homes because of our short tempers. I know we have short tempers when in their presence, but we must keep our heads about us tonight and until they leave tomorrow.” Laura looked to Kirsch. “Speak to JP and inform him of everything after his training has been completed for the day.”

“I will do so ma’am.” Kirsch stood from his seat and exited the room as well.

Laura looked to me and Danny. “I am aware that you two are not on the best of terms which is why I had LaFontaine place you two together. No one will believe that you two have gone off together even though I am having Perry lie about sending you both to fetch her materials to use for weapons, so do not be caught leaving the house. Please also do me a favor and try not to tear each other apart while you are alone.” Laura’s eyes fell upon Danny. “That tearing apart matter lies heavily on you.”

Danny’s hands unclenched and she laid one loosely upon the hilt of her sword. “I shall do my best Lady Hollis,” she said honestly. She bowed then left the room.

Laura looked to me. “Don’t antagonize her. I don’t want you to be harmed.”

“She could not harm me even if she wished to,” I responded.

Laura sighed. “Please do me this favor.” She moved from behind her desk to stand before me. “Protect her.”

“I have never failed before; I shall not fail now,” I stated.

She pressed a chaste kiss to my lips. “Be careful to not be seen.”

“I always am.” I placed a soft kiss to her forehead then took my leave to collect my arrows from Perry.

 

 

 

 

 

I strolled into the armory in search of Perry. I followed the sounds of a hammer striking steel. She was in the back by the furnace hammering against a red hot piece of steel. From what was visible, it looked to be a new piece of armor being melded. I looked around the workshop until my eyes fell upon the set of arrows neatly placed in a row on top of one of the tables. I walked over to the table and walked the length of it staring down at each arrow individually. I took one into my hand to weigh it then looked at the tip. Perry has yet to falter in my expectations of her when it comes to the craftsmanship of my arrows. She is the only one I trust to craft them for me to the specifics of what I desire down to the very detail of the black color of them.

I heard a yelp and looked to see Perry clutching at her chest. “You know I despise when you sneak into my workshop!” She chastised.

“My apologies. I did not wish to disturb you as you worked.”

“Yes well a little bit of noise will not hurt your credibility as a hunter,” she said frustratedly as she dipped the new armor into a barrel of water.

“Again my apologies.” I removed my bow from across my chest and notched the arrow into place letting my sight follow down the shaft of the arrow to the very tip of it.

“I hope it is to your liking,” Perry commented.

I un-notched the arrow and slung my bow back into place. “Pristine work as always Perry.” I collected all of the arrows and placed them into my quiver.

“Be safe tonight Carmilla. There are many eyes and ears present,” she warned.

“I am always careful.”

She nodded and I took my leave of her.

 

 

 

 

 

“I would have noticed if someone followed us here, so calm yourself,” Danny said as my eyes bore into the door leading to the stairs.

“I only wish to be cautious.”

Danny sighed and rattled her chains. “How long will these last before Perry must craft me a new pair?”

I looked away from the door to her. I kept my eyes solely on her own out of respect for the fact that she was bare naked sitting in the cell with chains clasped to her wrists and ankles. “I am unsure. I would suspect it will be when you break those ones and I have to put an arrow in you.”

“Ever the optimist,” she retorted. I stayed silent as I looked away from her. “Do you believe I will ever be able to control this?”

I stared at her once more. “You have done well to control yourself in your human form. You need only to apply the same dedication for when you are in your wolf form.”

“It has been eight years and I have yet to manage my transformations.” She looked away from me. “Do you believe Laura made the wrong decision in saving me from being hunted by my own family?”

“She believes in your capabilities and in your character. She kept your secret and convinced her father to take you in because she saw how scared yet determined you were. If you cannot believe in yourself enough to control yourself in your transformed state then believe in her.”

There was another lapse of silence between us before she again spoke. “Do you believe in me?”

I stood up from my place and crossed the room to the entrance that led to the stairs that go up to the surface above. I pressed my ear against the door for a moment to hear for any signs of life. I moved back to my place as guard. “If I didn’t believe in you, I would not have been doing this for the past eight years.” I took my seat on the chair by the silver cell bars. “As much as it may seem that I dislike you, I will protect you and believe in you until my dying breath.”

“Is that because of Laura?”

“It is because of my own faith,” I admitted.

Danny began to cough and groan. I peered into the cell to see that she was on all fours and beginning her transformation. I looked away as she had expressed she more than despised when we watched her transform. I reached into my inside coat pocket and retrieved the canisters of smoke LaFontaine provided me with before I left. I unlatched the canisters the way Perry taught me so many months ago and placed two of them by the door and another two just to the side of the cell. I moved back by the door because just as much as it pained Danny for us to guard her like this, it pained me to hear the howls and to watch her struggle against her restraints. I will never admit that I feel guilty for the way we must treat her during this time because I do not want her thinking I care more for her than what I have already admitted for one day I may need her to rely on the small part of bitterness she holds towards me.

I closed my eyes as I listened to her whine and scrape at the stone floor begging and fighting to be released. One day when she has learned to control herself she can be free during these nights, but until then this is her life as much as it is ours.

* * *

 

**_Laura_ **

I looked through my telescope as I scanned the surrounding forest. The morning light was beginning to break across the horizon. Carmilla and Danny should have returned by now. The next set of sentries will be arriving in half an hour. If Carmilla and Danny do not arrive in time it will be more difficult to smuggle them through the hidden entrance in our wall. I clicked my teeth as I kept scanning the forest.

“It is unlike them to be late,” Kirsch commented as he walked past me with anxious steps.

“They will arrive soon enough. If not I will have to find a way to buy you and them some time.” I glanced away from my telescope to the rising sun.

“You will send me to retrieve them?”

“Next to Danny you are my next best tracker, so I trust you to return them home.”

“Thank you ma’am.” He bowed and looked out into the forest before proceeding on to his post.

I gazed through the telescope again in search of Danny and Carmilla. What has happened to them?

“Madam Hollis!” JP called as quietly as possible.

I quickly scanned the area to ensure that no one aside from Kirsch had heard JP’s call. I moved toward him and stopped once I got to his current post that overlaps Kirsch’s. “What is it JP?”

He nodded his head in the direction of the forest. I pulled out my telescope and looked to where he indicated. Carmilla and Danny were emerging from the forest and making quick work to arrive at the hidden entrance. Carmilla had a gash across her forehead that was bleeding down the left side of her face down to her chin while Danny moved with a limp in her left leg. They kept to what shadows remained in the forest.

“I shall send word to LaFontaine,” JP said.

“Tell them to hurry to my bedroom.”

“Understood.” JP whistled for a messenger bird as I continued across the wall to the staircase.

I descended the staircase then moved fleetingly along the wall keeping my eyes peeled for any other signs of movement besides my own. I arrived at the hidden entrance and grabbed at the grapevine leaves pulling them aside. Carmilla and Danny ducked through the small entrance and emerged into the court yard. Danny had a gash along her left calf along with more cuts and scrapes along her arms. Carmilla had another gash along the bottom of her right jawline and the palm of her left hand had dried blood coating it.

“Follow me to my bedroom,” I ordered.

They took a much needed breath into their lungs then followed me silently. I guided them to my bedroom without much trouble as the guests from the other houses were still slumbering. I opened the doors to my bedroom. LaFontaine was situated there with their medical bag. Carmilla and Danny moved to sit at the chairs placed before my desk. LaFontaine moved toward them and began inspecting their injuries.

“What happened?” I questioned as I took the state of them both in with more emotion than before.

“Werewolves,” Danny supplied.

“All things were clear until we moved ten feet from our location. Three werewolves descended upon us,” Carmilla added.

“What happened after?”

“I took one down without much effort because it seemed to be the youngest of the pack,” Danny said while wincing at LaFontaine who was cleaning the part of the wound on her calf that had not healed yet.

“It was a struggle to get the other two wolves down. They both seemed to be Betas, but that did not detract from their strength. We led them deeper into the forest and fought them off, but as you can see they got a few strikes in before we were able to put them down,” Carmilla finished.

“What were werewolves doing this close to our house?” I mused aloud.

“They may have caught Danny’s scent. The smoke that LaFontaine created caters to vampires not being able to catch the wolf scent that clings to Danny, but not other werewolves,” Carmilla supplied.

LaFontaine moved to begin to clean up Carmilla’s head wound. “It is possible since we have never caught a werewolf and questioned them on how they decipher who is one of them and who is a vampire,” LaFontaine stated.

“Even so, this is not werewolf territory,” I said.

“They may have followed the House of Steinberg in hopes of catching them alone not realizing that they may run into other hunters,” Danny offered in explanation.

“That is still too risky for them. We may not be trained in hunting werewolves, but werewolves cannot stand silver just as much as vampires,” I said as I began to pace the room.

“Did the Steinberg family mention why they wanted to begin hunting werewolves?” LaFontaine questioned.

I stopped my pacing. “They said the werewolves murdered one of their own and they had the Lawrence family take control of hunting the murderer down, but when Sir Steinberg spoke his son seemed to look uncomfortable at the matter and rubbed his left forearm.”

“They must have gone after the werewolf themselves, but murdered the wrong one,” Carmilla explained.

“This is why werewolf hunting is left to those who are trained for it,” I said angrily. “They may have begun a war and brought it to our doorstep.”

“I say we feed them to the wolves and be done with it,” Carmilla said maliciously.

“They will have to feed us to the wolves as well since we murdered three of them just now,” Danny pointed out.

“They attacked us first,” Carmilla said while trying to restrain her anger.

“The wolves do not see it as self-defense,” Danny said while gripping the arms of her chair. “They do not care if they had attacked first. They only care that their own were murdered.”

I situated myself between them just as my doors opened to reveal JP and Kirsch entering. “Are you certain that you killed the wolves?” I questioned as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Yes. We took them down then I shot an arrow through all of their heads and hearts to ensure they were dead,” Carmilla assured as Danny flinched.

I sighed. “I asked JP to retrieve Danny and Carmilla because I spotted movement in the forest because Danny is my best tracker and Carmilla is my best marksman. We,” I said looking at Kirsch and JP, “let them both out into the forest to investigate more closely. It was not until they had been gone for an hour that I had decided to call for reinforcements, but JP spotted them at his post and I changed the order for reinforcements. JP contacted LaFontaine and I brought them here to be treated as soon as possible since my bedroom is closer to the wall.” I uncrossed my arms and looked to each of them. “Understood?” They all looked to one another then answered their agreeance in unison. “Let us get some rest before we must report this to my father and the other houses in the morning,” I said tiredly. They bid me goodnight and I grabbed Carmilla by her forearm to stop her from leaving. She looked at me curiously. “Are you alright?”

She stepped closer to me and brushed a strand of my hair away from my face to behind my ear. “I am fine. It was unexpected is all,” she answered.

“Can you stay with me tonight?” I said allowing for my weakness for her to lace my voice.

“You know as well as I that that is not a good idea,” she responded.

I placed my hands on her hips and drew her closer to me. “Only for a while. I do not want to let you go for fear you may never come back.”

She cupped my face in her hands and kissed my forehead. “I am not leaving this realm any time soon.” She stepped away from me. “I do need to leave your bedroom though. Your fiancé may perceive things wrongly if he catches me in here at this hour.”

“Theo can perceive things in any way he wishes. My father will take my word over his any day,” I retorted.

“We had an agreement Laura,” she reminded.

I bit my bottom lip. “I apologize. I just do not like the feeling of having almost lost you tonight.”

“I know, but I am here and I am alive. Do not dwell on what could have been.”

I smiled slightly and nodded my head. “Go my love. I will see you in the morning.”

She pressed her fingers to her lips and blew me a kiss. “Sweet dreams my love.” She left my bedroom with a smile on her lips.

I leaned against my desk. If I lose Carmilla because of the mistakes of a foolish man fueled by revenge, I will have his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can go to musictomyearshsau.tumblr.com to ask any questions or to just drop me a message. :)


	3. To the Wolves

**_Laura_ **

I stood outside the chamber and calmly waited with the other children of the other houses. The other heirs. The very people attempting to take my position from me. I held my hands behind my back as we all waited for Carmilla and Danny to exit from the chamber with news of what is to come to pass with the werewolves they slayed last night as well as what was to become of them.

LaFontaine had stayed awake through the night to come up with some form of medicine to help slow Danny’s ability to heal instantly. It took them hours as well as many hours of Danny having to allow Kirsch to beat her for the medicine to be perfected so that the effects lasted for two hours without fail. If it was not necessary for it to be done, I would have never allowed for such a thing to happen, but it needed to be done if Danny and Carmilla were to be believed. My first concern is ensuring that Carmilla and Danny make it out of this predicament alive and then it will be about allowing for Kirsch and Danny to have time to rest and work through the emotional toll that last night put them through.

Kirsch had broken down into tears after he could finally stop purposefully injuring Danny. For all of Danny’s strength, she had gratefully thanked LaFontaine for finally creating the medicine. She may not admit it to anyone, not even herself, but she too can crack. I wish for nothing more than for this to be over, so we may all find some form of peace before we return to our normal routines.

The doors to the chamber creaked as they opened. Danny and Carmilla stepped out of the room and walked over to me. I gripped my wrist tightly to keep from reaching to feel Carmilla under my fingertips. She had her hand on her sword while the fingers on her other hand twitched. Her jaw was firmly set and her eyes held a contained anger. I looked to Danny to see that her eyes also held restrained anger and her hands were clenched into tight fists where I know she was digging her nails into the palms of her hands drawing blood because they had begun to transform into wolf claws. Her jaw was also firmly set as she stood infinitely straighter and taller. I could feel the vibrations of her anger radiating from her body. Her fists loosened slightly.

“Lady Hollis, Lady Belmonde, Lady Reinheld, Lady Speilsdorf, Lady Steinberg, Sir Truman, if you may accompany me into the chamber,” The guard requested.

I looked over to Mattie, Mel, Betty, Natalie, and Theo. The corner of Theo’s mouth was turned up into a small smirk as Mattie straightened her posture and Mel glared at me. Betty did not seem too concerned and Natalie seemed to be too tense. I allowed them to enter the chamber first. We walked into the center of the room as our fathers and other head of households sat at the semi-circle table. My father was a painting of calm and control while the other house heads seemed to not be doing well with masking their present irritations and anger. Danny’s father in particular could not mask his anger since his red cheeks betrayed him. His hands were clenched into fists as they rested atop the table. I moved to stand in line between Mattie and Mel while Theo stood on the other side of Mel with Natalie and Betty standing on the other side of Mattie.

My father’s eyes landed on my own. He bore into my eyes searching for any indication of lies. I stared back at him with confidence in the lie I had crafted for Danny and Carmilla. In the lie I had crafted for myself along with JP, Kirsch, and LaFontaine. To believe in the lie is to give nothing away of the truth that it is a lie. I stood my ground and stared into my father’s eyes with strong conviction of the truth I had fabricated. He blinked then looked away to glance at the other heirs beside me. He leaned back into his chair seemingly at ease even though I can see the built up tension within the way his shoulders seemed to reach up to his ears. He cleared his throat and looked around the room to the other heads of houses.

“We have heard the testimony of those involved with the incident from last night. We have seen the physical proof of what had happened. We have also recovered the bodies of the wolves that were slain,” my father began. “We shall wait for the alpha of the pack of wolves in this area to seek us out for the bodies of their fallen. It is at that time that I shall explain matters and ask them for forgiveness for this unfortunate event in which they will be given two choices.” His eyes gleaned over everyone then focused on me. “Either they continue their terms of peace or a war begins.” His shoulders tensed even more. “Though there is a third choice that none of us wish to see to come to pass.” His gaze left mine. “If in the case that they do not choose between the aforementioned two choices, but seek an eye for an eye, we will give them Lady Karnstein and Lady Lawrence to do with as they please.” I gripped my wrist tightly to contain the rush of anger and worry in my body. “We shall all hope that this third choice that we shall not mention in dealings with them does not come to pass.” He paused as he stood up. “Now let us retire for the day as the heads of houses and their people shall stay with us longer until this issue has been dealt with.”

I bowed my head along with the other heirs before turning and exiting the chamber. I made my way down the hall to where my companions were awaiting me. I walked pass them and continued toward my bed chamber. I heard their footsteps behind me echoing off the stone floor and walls. I arrived back at my room and opened my doors. I approached my desk and stood before it. They all gathered around.

I looked to Danny and Carmilla. Their jaws were still set, but Danny’s nails had reverted back to human form while Carmilla’s fingers had stopped twitching. Carmilla would not meet my eyes.

“Either the wolves keep the peace or they begin a war,” I said to LaFontaine and JP. They looked to each other then back to me. “The other choice is that we give the wolves Carmilla and Danny to do as they please which will in all probability result in their deaths.”

“Your father cannot allow that,” LaFontaine spoke.

“He can and he will have no other choice if he wishes to avoid a war and keep the treaty we have with the wolves intact. To him, losing two hunters means nothing when he has a house of them,” I answered.

“What shall we do?” JP questioned.

“For now we pray that the wolves do not select option three,” I answered solemnly. LaFontaine deeply sighed as JP threaded his fingers through his hair. “Let us retire for the moment since our night was sleepless.”

They all stared at me for a moment before retreating from my bed chamber. Carmilla stayed back and stood before me. The door clicked closed and she moved around my desk. I turned to face her and found myself being pinned between her and my desk. Her lips connected with my own in a searingly desperate kiss. My hands instantaneously moved to thread into her hair. I matched her kiss with my own flood of desperation and panic. She untied my sword from my hip before her hands slid down to rest bellow my buttocks before she gripped it and hoisted me up onto my desk. I broke away from the kiss to catch my breath as I wrapped my legs around her waist and locked my ankles behind her back. I pressed the heels of my feet against her and pulled her in closer. Her hands found their way beneath my shirt as I brought her lips to mine.

She bit my lip before pulling away and pushing me down to lay on top of the desk. She pushed my shirt up above my breast along with my brassiere. Her lips encased my right nipple as her hands began to unbuckle my belt. She sucked hard then bit down softly. Her tongue swirled around the hardened bud of my nipple as she pulled the zipper down on my trousers. Her fingers slid into the band of my trousers and began to pull them down. I tilted my head back in pleasure for a brief moment before placing my hands on her shoulders and pushing against her. Her hot mouth released my nipple as she pulled away to stare down at me.

“We cannot do this. If my father should see us he shall have you killed,” I whispered.

Her lust filled eyes were tinged with sadness. “He perceives me to be dead now in all cases. If I shall die by his hands for having you one last time then it shall be a saving grace compared to what the wolves shall do to me.”

I stared up at her needy eyes. I sat up. “I cannot risk it. There is no way of telling that the wolves will request your death in retribution for theirs. I will not lose you even if the option that remains is for me to rage war on the wolves on my own to regain you.”

Her fingers released my trousers. “As you wish,” she whispered. She stepped away. “I shall see you when the time comes.” She looked away from me and excused herself from my bed chamber.

I fixed my clothing and reattached my sword to my hip.

I am a fool.

* * *

 

**_Carmilla_ **

I twirled my knife between my fingers as I read my book in the family library. I could not stand being alone in my own room. It was suffocating to realize that should things go wrong with the wolves, I shall never see that room again. It also does not help to ease the mind when Laura’s presence is an enormous air within the room. She is everywhere within my room and it has made it more difficult to shut myself away until the time came.

I was foolish to do what I did. I allowed for the creeping fear of being ripped away from her and this world seep into my heart and guide my ever growing need for her. The thread that binds us has become a chain that has me captive within her gravity. I could not leave even if this way of life should steal me away from her. If the day should come that I am whisked away from this world, I would fight to remain as a guardian angel for her so she may live a long and fulfilling life. I will ensure that her wishes and the future that she has planned comes to fruition. I will remain by her side in any way possible for even in death I cannot be without her.

I tapped my fingers on the desk in order to curve the itching of wanting to feel her beneath them. It is a constant hindrance to my days, but one I must restrain myself thoroughly from if I should survive to see another day with her.

“I thought you may be in here.”

I looked up to the entrance to see Danny walk over to me. “Well if it is not my partner in certain death. What may I do for you?”

She walked into the room and took the seat across from me. “I could not stand to be in my room, so I decided to seek you out to see what it was you were doing.”

I closed my book and leaned back. “I am doing my best to pass the time at the present moment by reading.”

She folded her hand on top of the desk. “Is it difficult for you to stay within your room as well?”

I laced my fingers together on my lap. “My reasons may differ from yours on the matter.”

She sighed heavily and scratched at her wrist. “I am not so sure we are different on this matter.”

I hummed and sat up straight. “Kirsch is a good man.”

She buried her face in her hands then lifted her head up. “I cannot be with him for fear of hurting him. I am still struggling during the times that I first wake.”

I nodded my head. “I apologize that we cannot be of more use to you in handling your abilities. I know that if you had gone and joined that pack from three years ago you would have been better off and fully under control.”

She leaned her chin into the palm of her hand. “You may be right, but I could not leave the people who are my true family. No matter how much I dislike one of them.” She smirked.

I rolled my eyes. “The feeling is mutual.”

The door to the library opened once again and Laura stepped into the room. “The wolves have arrived,’ she announced as the grip on her sword tightened to the point of her knuckles becoming ghost white.

“It is time for judgement,” Danny said. She stood from her seat and looked to me briefly. “I shall see you outside.”

I nodded my head. I watched her take her leave of Laura and I. I stared at Laura as the door creaked open then clicked shut behind Danny. She stared at me and gripped the handle of her sword tightly. She bit down on her bottom lip then strode towards me. Her hands went up to cup my face. She pulled me down into a devastated, yet frantic kiss. Her hands moved so that her fingers could slide into my hair. She gripped my hair between her fingers as she kissed me with reckless abandonment not caring if anyone should walk in and see us in this state. She pulled away and shook her head to stop her tears from falling from her eyes. She composed herself into a pillar of strength and conviction then turned and waltzed away.

I watched her back with every step she took away from me. Once she had exited the room I allowed myself to breath. I closed my eyes in order to commit the feel of her lips against mine and the way she clung to me to memory. I opened my eyes then waltzed out of the room to meet with all of the others gathered around at the front gates. I was given a clear path in order to reach the front where I claimed the space next to Danny. She had her hands folded behind her back as her eyes searched the end of the path ahead. I focused my own gaze to that part of the land as well as a pack of wolves began to make their way down the path toward us. You could feel the tension settle in around us as everyone shifted with the sight of the oncoming wolves.

I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly as I watched them march nearer and nearer. Soon they were upon us and their eyes were roaming around taking in every one of us bit by bit in order to remember every single one of our faces for possibly a later date. Their eyes then settled on Sir Hollis and Laura. They stood tall and strong against the pack of wolves. Their alpha stepped forward and gazed past Sir Hollis and Laura to the carriage that housed the bodies of their fallen pack. Anger rippled off the alpha that was reflected on the rest of the pack. Their muscles twitching and their jaws clenching with the sight of their fallen.

“Sir Hollis. You have breached the terms of our treaty,” the alpha spoke.

“Matthew, the treaty was broken when two members of your pack made the decision to hunt for hunter blood on my lands during a time of meeting between the houses.”

“They were doing no such thing,” he growled.

“If not, then why were they this near my house?”

He clenched his fists then raised his head higher. “This is not the first of the murderous offenses caused by your people.”

“This case may not have resulted in murder if your pack had not attacked first.”

“They would not attack without permission.”

“And yet they did. My two hunters were injured in the altercation.”

“Which ones?”

“Lady Lawrence, Lady Karnstein, step forward.” Danny and I stepped forward. “These two were the ones injured in the altercation.”

Matthew turned to gaze upon us. He then strode over to us and stood before us gazing down on me and being at eye level with Danny. He stared into Danny’s eyes for a long moment then stepped back. “I want them to come with us for retribution for my loss.” I glanced out the corner of my eye to see Laura’s hand take a deathly grip on her sword. “We will return them to you after some trials.” Laura’s grip did not falter. He looked to us. “You will not be needing your weapons, so you may leave them here.”

“Is that all you wish for?” Sir Hollis asked.

“The return of my brothers of course.”

Sir Hollis nodded and the hunter trainees pulled the carriage forward. “May they find peace in the other realm,” Sir Hollis said.

Matthew turned to his pack and a few of them stepped forward to collect the carriage. They started on ahead in walking back to their den. “You two remove your weapons now,” he ordered Danny and me.

Laura stepped forward and walked toward us. She glared into Matthew’s eyes before turning her back to him in a show of strength and defiance. Kirsch stepped up to stand next to Laura. She collected Danny’s weapons and handed them over to Kirsch. She then side stepped to stand in front of me. I removed my weapons one by one doing what I could to feel her hands beneath my fingertips with every weapon I surrendered to her. I handed her my sword last and her fingers curled up slightly to touch the palm of my hand. She looked into my eyes and I could see the war she was fighting inside within them. The recklessness of wanting to put a stop to this, but the obligation to show that she could make the sacrifice if called upon to. I lifted my head up and stared down at her with determination to fulfill my duty. She looked away then moved pass Kirsch to stand in line with her father again.

Matthew turned his back to us after watching as Laura held no fear in showing her back to him. He sneered at the act then led the way back to his den. Danny and I followed behind him. We were surrounded by other wolves trapping us within a circle and making it impossible to escape them if we had dared to make such a move in the first place. Danny and I were intelligent enough to know that there was no way around this predicament. Either we did as we were told or they would murder us in front of all the other houses. There was also the surge of pride we both held to the point of stubbornness. We would not allow ourselves to show vulnerability. We will not show that we are frightened. We held our heads up high as we walked toward our slow death.

When we came up to the end of the road, they placed bags over our heads and then forced us into the carriage. It may be easier to map out the location of their den if we were allowed to walk to it, but it was not entirely impossible to not be able to still do so from sitting in the back of a carriage. One only needs to focus on the feeling of the carriage beneath them in order to distinguish how far one has traveled as well as what turns had been made. It may not be perfect, but one can get close enough to the direct location. If anything, Danny would be able to find it again using scent. For now, I allowed myself to dwell on what awaited us.

* * *

 

**_Danny_ **

The bag was pulled from my head and thrown to the ground. I glanced at Carmilla to see if she was well then looked around me. There were many more wolves perched on rocks, logs, and within the trees. They glared down at us. I looked away and to what was directly in front of me. It was a hole dug into the ground. I was shoved from the back to the very edge of the hole. I peered down it to see that it was not some simple shallow hole, but a pit that stretched possibly sixty feet down into the earth. If one should fall from this height, there was no telling if they would survive or not. Of course that applied to humans and not werewolves or vampires which made me worry for Carmilla. If they pushed her into this pit, there was no telling if she would survive the fall or not.

I glanced down into the pit again. It was too dark at the very bottom. I blinked to change my eyesight to be able to see through the darkness. At the very bottom of the pit were broken staffs and some bones. If Carmilla had a chance for survival, what lies at the bottom of the pit has destroyed them. She glanced at me from the corner of her eyes. I subtly shook my head. She looked away back to the pit then raised her head to stare down any wolf that dared to meet her gaze.

“One of you is a werewolf who does not know how to fully control themselves. The other is a human,” Matthew proclaimed. He paced behind us. “We shall see which is which.” He shoved Carmilla into the pit first then me after three seconds.

I blinked to shift my eyes into their wolf form to get a better focus on Carmilla. She was struggling with her restraints and refused to look at the approaching ground. I shifted into my wolf form knowing full well that it may be a long while before I could finally transform back into my human form that is if I do not lose myself to the beast inside me.

She managed to free her hands and threw the end of the rope that bound her hands out toward me. I caught the end between my sharp teeth and yanked on the rope by tossing my head forcibly to the side. It pulled her closer to me and she was able to wrap her arms around my neck. I twisted around in her arms to be able to land on my feet. She gripped the fur around my neck tightly as the ground came within human sight. I crashed down onto the ground putting a small dent into the earth. I lowered myself so she could slide off my back then trotted away to a corner to put as much distance between us as was possible in the confined space. The space was only thirty feet wide. There was no escaping.

“It looks like the wolf was the tall one. Interesting. I wonder if her family knows of what she has become,” Matthew mused loudly while crouching at the entrance to the pit. He tilted his head to the left. “You shall be set free when you learn to freely change between beast and human as well as to not allow the beast to take control.” He turned to look behind him then dropped a sword into the space. “You might need that human,” he said to Carmilla before getting up and moving away from the pit.

Carmilla stared at the sword then at me. A look of defiance filled her eyes as she leaned her back against the wall and crossed her arms. “You better learn to control yourself because if you believe I am going to use that sword to stop you, you are sadly mistaken.”

I stared at her then growled loudly, “ _You will do what is needed_.”

She shook her head. “I do not speak wolf remember? You will have to transform in order for me to understand you.”

“ _You know I have no control over that?!_ ”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Find a way to control it or you will hurt more than just me and you.”

I lowered the front of my body more to the ground and growled even louder. “ _Fool!_ ”

She shook her head again. “Transform or keep quiet,” she snapped.

I stared at her for a while longer then began to pace back and forth on my side of the pit. I shook my head as the beast within me began to creep to the front of my mind. It came faster this time because of my anger, but I will hold it at bay for as long as possible because she is right, it will not only hurt her or myself if I give in.

 

 

 

 

 

The light from outside began to fade as the shadows on the wall grew higher and higher. I had yet to transform back into my human form and had pushed the beastly wolf down into the corner of my mind. I will not allow it to take over me. I looked away from the walls and stopped to look at Carmilla. She was lying on her back with her eyes closed. I saw the imperceptible shiver course through her body from the drop in temperature. I walked over to her and settled down near enough to her so she could feel the warmth from my body since she would never admit or ask for my help. She is everything and proud blended with stubbornness was the worst of the combinations she was. She shifted slightly moving closer to me and I could feel that she was only a breath away from where I sat. I turned then lie next to her crossing my front paws on top of one another before lowering my head to rest on them.

We stayed this way for a long while as night finally settled in. It had gotten even colder and she was shivering despite being so close to me. I got up onto my legs then stared down at her. She opened her eyes to stare at me as I pressed my nose against her side and shoved. She rolled her eyes then moved to rest on her side. I curled up around her tucking her in as close as possible so she may warm up and stay warm throughout the night. Steadily her body stopped shivering from the cold and she relaxed.

“Do not ever mention this to anyone,” she warned.

“ _Like I wish for people to know that I was this compassionate towards you._ ”

I tucked my head down to rest on top of hers then closed my eyes. I would rather sleep through this moment than be awake through it.

**_***_ **

I stalked around the wall of the pit and shook my head forcefully. I knocked it against the wall as I closed my eyes to try to calm myself. The beast within howled at the forefront of my mind and was biting at the edge of my capability to keep it at bay. I lowered the front of my body as I felt my self-control slipping away from me. I opened my eyes and stared at Carmilla as she circled the opposite end of the pit from me maintaining her distance from me. She analyzed me with her critical gaze gauging whether or not I was going to lose control.

I closed my eyes and shook my head again. I will not give in. I will not give in. I will not give in. The beast within lurched forward ramming against my defenses. It bared its teeth at me and growled. It stepped back and rammed against my defenses again. I growled trying to scare it away from me, but it was to no avail. It stood taller than me and growled furiously.

“Danny!”

My eyes shot open as I realized I was now standing in front of Carmilla growling in the same manner as the beast. “ _I’m sorry_.”

Carmilla raised her hand slowly and reached out to touch me. I growled again for the beast inside did not wish to be touched and it was beginning to crowd my mind. “Do not let it defeat you. You are stronger,” she stated as her hand rested on the top of my head.

“ _Get away from me!_ ” I shook her hand away and backed away.

I shook my head then turned to run head first into the wall. I slammed my head against it as the beast mocked me with its haughty steps. It bared its teeth knowing that it was winning. I slammed my head against the wall again. It sat down and stared at me knowing it will not be long. I knocked my head against the wall harder this time causing some of the brick to fall apart and the feeling of blood to be trickling down from my forehead. I snarled at the brick wall and felt the beast take control. I turned to face Carmilla. She bent her legs and held her hands out at her sides. She was ready to move out of the way.

“ _Run!_ ” I barked then charged her.

I swiped my paw at her as everything went black and I lost the battle.

* * *

 

**_Carmilla_ **

From what I could decipher, it had been four hours now since Danny finally lost control of herself and I was pleased that I had lasted this long. It was also surprising that she lasted the three days that she did before she finally gave in and that she did not transform back into her human form during those three days. She should have changed within the first few hours, but she did not. I circled the pit then risked a glance up to the top to see the mutt Matthew sitting at the edge staring down at us with an amused smile on his face. I flicked my gaze back to Danny as she lunged forward baring her teeth. I ducked and rolled to the right to avoid her, but got caught by the unexpected paw against my left leg. This time the claws sunk deeper drawing a heavier blood flow from the wound. I rolled onto my right leg and used the wall to right myself.

I stared her down seeing how narrow her pupils had become because of the animal side of herself erasing who she was. She lowered to the ground and followed me with her eyes. I used the wall as a crutch to move along the pit. I stopped when I saw her shift. I put more weight onto my left leg and felt the shocking pain shoot up my leg into my hip. I grit my teeth together and clenched my jaw tightly not wanting to let my pain known to this animal before me. It was no longer Danny, but that was not going to deter me from trying to bring her back.

There was a loud howl coming from the top of the pit. I glanced up to see a dark brown wolf where Matthew had once sat. It was the same howl that has been haunting the pit since we were thrown down here. I looked away from the wolf to Danny to see her head bowed down even lower. I shoved off the wall putting my full weight onto my wounded leg and ignored the pain that caused the edges of my vision to blacken. That howl was the reason why Danny was not able to transform back. I chided myself for not realizing it sooner. Matthew was somehow able to control Danny and force her to remain in her wolf form. I glanced back up to see him in his human form again staring down at Danny. Danny lifted her head and responded with her own deafening howl.

She lowered her head and threw herself at me. I threw myself out of the way. I pressed my hands against the floor to help carry my body forward to land back on my feet. I quickly turned around to see her come after me again. I jumped out of the way again and twisted my body to avoid the claws that followed. I spun in order to not lose my balance. I put weight on my left leg in order to square off against her and felt it buckle underneath me. It was a mistake that I paid for dearly.

Danny pounced forward as my leg buckled underneath and sunk her claws into my now exposed stomach. It tore through my armour and skin coming away to leave blood on the ground once her paw had settled back on the ground. I refused to look down at the damage that had been done, but I could feel the sting of the open wound and the flowing blood.

“You are an idiot mutt!” I shouted at her. I pushed myself to stand up and stared her down with my furiously. She bore her teeth at me. “You have spent eight years with this beast inside you and you still cannot do anything with it!” I snapped. “You are a hunter not an animal and as a hunter you use every advantage you have.” I stepped forward. She growled. “You accept the beast within you and use it to your advantage. Stop refusing it or you will never have control!” I shouted. I stepped forward again. “Stop being a fool who thinks she can tame or fight off the beast. Accept it for what it is; a part of who you are.” I stepped forward again.

She pounced forward and I ducked at the last moment to feel her soar above me. This was certainly not going to be easy and I was going to soon lose too much blood to continue to evade her. Either I lose consciousness and die from these wounds or I simply die, but I will not fall until she has accepted and controlled the other part of herself. The beast within.

“You are not a monster, but you will become one if you let yourself,” I said as she stalked me.


	4. The Shift

**_Carmilla_ **

My eyes widened and I bolted to a sitting position which I soon regretted doing. I fell back with my eyes blurring on the way down. I closed my eyes tightly shut and took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. I did this a few times until my heart slowed down and my pain resided slightly. I then began to focus on my battered body. The last memory I held was being face-to-face with Danny after having been losing blood from my stomach for about an hour. I was surprised that I was able to hold on for as long as I did even if I failed in holding on long enough for Danny to take control of herself.

I was in pain, but I was not in an immense amount of pain like I should have been. I also was not lying on the ground of the pit for this was a smooth surface as supposed to dirt. I was also not wearing any of my clothes, but I had a fur blanket covering my body keeping me from getting cold. I opened my eyes slowly and blinked a few times to adjust to the low light. I stared up at the stone then turned my head to see that I was lying in a small cave with a small fire in the middle. There were tables lining the walls with various instruments as well as silverware. I stared at the fire to see a pot hanging over the fire.

I stared around the room until I found my cloths piled by the entrance to the cave. I sighed and tried to sit up again steadily allowing the pain to wash over me in waves.

“You should not be up.”

I turned to the entrance to see a woman with long black hair, fair skin, and deep brown eyes watching me. “I should not be alive,” I responded. I finished pulling myself into a sitting position then swung my legs over the edge of the stone bed I was lying on. My leg was wrapped with a cloth as well as my stomach. “Why would you treat my wounds?”

She moved away from the entrance and grabbed a bundle of clothing from one of the tables. “The purpose was to not kill you, but to help the other one control herself.” She walked over to me and set the clothes down beside me.

“Why would you care?”

She helped slip my arms through the short sleeves of the shirt then pulled it down to my waist. I watched as she tried not to stare too long at my body. “We may not like members of the house you serve, but we do care for our own regardless if they are a part of our pack or not.” She knelt down to slip the trousers up my legs. She pulled them up to above my knee. She stood up and looked over my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her and lifted myself up so she could slide the trousers the rest of the way up to my waist. I tried to ignore the way her fingers trailed over my skin.

“That is noble of you.”

“We are not the animals you think us to be.” She grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders. “We have known for some time now she was one of us and it was confirmed when she defended herself against my brothers. Although we did not foresee the both of you putting our brothers to rest.”

“I apologize for that. It was never our intention.”

She nodded her head somberly. “It was partially their own fault. They were only meant to attack to gauge her abilities, but it has been made clear that they did not wish to help her, so they attempted to rid us of her.”

“Not everyone agrees with helping her?”

She moved over to the pot hanging over the fire. “No, but no one will defy Matthew, so if our brothers would have survived, he would have torn them apart himself.”

“Where is she?”

“She is still in the pit. Matthew interfered before she could bite you.”

“I take it Matthew does not want me joining the family?”

She went to one of the tables to collect a bowl. “We do our best to not have people turn by accident or for our own failure to control our pack. We select those we wish to join us.” She walked over to me with the bowl of food.

“I do not wish to know how that process works.”

“If you are thinking along the lines of violence then you are sadly mistaken.” She scooped some of the soup onto the spoon and held it up for me.

I blew on it a bit then took it into my mouth. The warmth of the soup warmed my body from the inside. “How long do you plan to keep us?” I said to change the subject.

She kept feeding me since my arms were too weighed down. “Matthew is working with her now. When he feels that she is capable of controlling herself, we will return you both to your house.”

I nodded my head and felt how sore my neck was. “Forgive me for not remembering my manners, but what is your name?”

She scooped some more soup into my mouth. “Ell. My name is Ell.”

“Carmilla,” I responded in kind.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” she said with a small smile.

“Same to you.”

* * *

**_Laura_ **

I paced back and forth in my bedroom while rolling my sword in my hand. It has been a week since the two of them have left and they have yet to return. The wolves have not sent us word about what they have done with the both of them. It does not help that the other houses have stayed longer than the two days my father graced them with. It has been difficult to speak to the others about the situation when there are more hunters roaming around the house and Theo coming to interrupt me in my bedroom at every possible moment he is able to. I want to go after Carmilla and Danny and bring them back, but I need to do it in a way that will not put the houses in danger.

If only I could speak to LaFontaine for longer than five minutes then we can formulate a plan that will allow for Kirsch and JP to slip out of the house into the forest to try to pick up the trail of Carmilla and Danny. Even if it has been a week, there is still a window of opportunity to track the trail before it has disappeared completely.

I turned as I heard my door open slowly. I stopped and held my sword firmly in my grasp. Theo walked into my bedroom leaving the door opened slightly. “You are going to have to learn to knock,” I said with restrained anger.

He looked down to the sword in my hand. “I knew you would not be doing anything that would require me to knock before entering.” He walked over to me and circled to stand behind me. “Yet you are my fiancé, so I do have the right to see more than just what you are wearing,” he whispered in my ear while running his fingertips down along my arm.

I did my best to keep myself from shrinking away from his touch. “You have the title yes, but that does not mean you have the right to invade my privacy.”

“As you wish m’lady,” he mocked. He walked away from me.

I turned to watch as he moved to my desk. “Is there something that I can aid you in?”

He stared down at my desk and knocked his knuckles against it. “I was seeing how you were doing. It has been a week since the two hunters from your unit have been taken and there has been no word of what has become of them.”

I stared at him critically. “You are not the type to worry about my wellbeing, so what is your true purpose for being here?”

He looked from my desk and folded his hands behind his back. A smug grin spread across his face. “My father will be speaking with your father about possibly moving our date of marriage to the more near future.”

I gripped my sword even tighter. “Why would you wish to move the date?”

He tilted his head to the side and shrugged. “I just wish to be bound to you sooner.”

I stared him down. “What is your purpose?”

He walked over to me. “You are too deeply affected by what has happened to your hunters. I do not wish for something more to happen because you are incapable of making the correct decisions for our people.”

“I would not put my personal feelings before my responsibilities because if I did we would be at war at this very moment,” I pointed out.

He walked around to face me. “Let us see how long that resolve lasts.” He looked down at my sword. “We do not want more deaths on our shoulders.”

I resisted the urge to grip my sword even tighter. He looked up to meet my forced calm gaze. “There is no need for more deaths where they are not warranted.”

He nodded his head. “I shall see you tonight for supper.” He strolled out of my bedroom shutting the door behind him.

I swung my sword slicing the air with anger then sheathed it. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths to calm myself. This was an unforeseen outcome to the situation at hand, but it is not one that cannot be solved. I simply need to speak with the correct people.

 

 

 

 

 

I strolled into the welding room and looked at Perry. She nodded her head to the side then grabbed out a sword from the fire. I walked over to the back of the room as the sound of Perry’s hammer against steel rang around the room. I gripped my sword as I maneuvered around the corner and gazed upon Mattie leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She did not look amused to having been summoned to this room with its immense noise.

“I thank you for meeting me here. I know that it is not ideal for you,” I began.

She removed herself from the wall. “The view is not distasteful,” she drawled out as she moved over to me then peered around the wall to gain a better view of Perry.

“I am sure she would appreciate the compliment.”

She smirked then looked away from Perry. “You do know that if we are caught speaking to one another it will not be good for either of us?”

“I am well aware of what may happen if we are caught, so I do dearly appreciate you taking the risk to do so.”

“What is it that you want from me?”

“I plan to discuss replacing Carmilla and Danny two days from now during a meeting with my father. Theo is planning to have his father speak with mine about having an earlier wedding than planned. I wish for you to be one of the replacements along with Theo.”

Her jaw clenched. “You are dealing in dangerous waters. If Theo discovers that I am aiding you in any way, he will take over control of the houses starting with marrying you and taking your place as head of the house.”

“I understand, but if I am to keep the original wedding date till after my nineteenth year then I will need to have Theo replace one of them and keep him close.”

She straightened up her spine and gazed down at me. “You want me to keep my eye on him so you may figure out a way to rid him of all of us.”

“It is simpler to explain an accident than it is to explain an execution.”

She smirked. “You can be ruthless.”

“I will do what I have to for my people. Theo and his family are not what is right for our people.”

She tapped her fingers against her biceps. “Know that you father will become suspicious of you when Theo suddenly dies under our care.”

“I will handle my father.”

“You better. If he suspects us of having done anything to Theo, it will be our heads.”

“I will handle the situation when it comes.”

She nodded her head. “I will apologize now for the things I will be saying when it is brought up.”

“I understand. We will not have many opportunities to speak with one another in secret, so I will apologize now for any indiscretions I might commit from this point forward.”

“Yes well, we cannot move forward if we do not rid ourselves of the problems.”

“Agreed.” I glanced around the corner to watch as Perry removed another sword from the fire.

“Before this meeting comes to a close, how are you doing with Carmilla no longer being here?”

I gripped my sword tighter. “I do not believe her to be dead, but I do not know when she will return.”

Her eyes softened. “You must prepare yourself for is she never returns to you. She is my sister and I miss her dearly, but I cannot allow those hollow feelings to cloud my judgement.”

“My emotions are not clouding my judgment,” I said sternly.

She sighed. “Remember what I said to you when she made the decision to leave my house for yours?”

I took a deep breath and loosened my grip on my sword. “That so long as I cared for her I would never truly fail her.”

She placed her hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You have not failed her and I know she does not blame you for what you had to do. Possibly in another life you two may be able to love one another the way you do openly.” I stared at her in shock. She gave me a small smile. “She is my sister regardless of who our parents are, so I do recognize when she is in love with someone and has given them her heart. I am not sure if others have been able to see the way you two interact with one another, but I know my sister and she adores you beyond this lifetime. If she is no longer alive in this one, she will find you in the next.”

“Thank you.”

She pulled me into a brief hug then released me. “I will excuse myself now before someone notices that I have been missing for far too long.”

“I shall see you in two days.”

She nodded her head then disappeared giving Perry an appreciative glace before exiting. Perry glanced over at Mattie briefly then walked toward me.

“Is it wise to trust her?” Perry asked.

“She has yet to give me pause to not to.”

“Remember she is Carmilla’s sister due to circumstances not by blood,” she warned.

“We have the capability to form stronger relations with those who are not blood related to us than to those who are,” I countered giving her a small smile.

She shrugged. “You make a valid argument.”

“My arguments tend to be valid the majority of the time.”

“Yes well, let us see how you fair against your father when you speak to him about having Theo and Mattie replace Carmilla and Danny.”

“I can deal with my father.”

“I know. I just enjoy hearing LaFontaine recount the whole ordeal.”

I rolled my eyes. “They tend to exaggerate the event.”

“Yes, but that is what makes it enjoyable.”

I shook my head. “In any case. I must leave now as well. I have to speak with JP about some matters.”

“I cannot help feeling as if you have all of us doing some special task the others do not know about,” she speculated.

“The less you know Perry the better.” I hugged her then kissed her cheek. “I shall see you another time.”

“Be careful Laura,” she warned.

“When am I not?” I answered.

* * *

**_Carmilla_ **

I winced as I struggled to slip my coat on. I tied my sword to my trousers then tied my hair up to keep it out of my field of sight.

“What are you doing?”

I sighed as I slid my knives into place in their holsters. “What does it seem like I am doing?” I limped slightly as I began to turn to face Ell.

“You are in no condition to be moving around,” she said worriedly.

I straightened up my back to stand tall and squared my shoulders. I walked toward her while clenching my jaw tightly to contain any outward signs of my pain from the wounds on my leg. “I have remained in this room for a week and Danny has remained in that pit you had thrown us in for just as long. I am going to assist her in figuring out how to transform back and forth by will. You can either assist me in returning to that pit safely or I will jump down from that ledge and wager whether or not I shall survive the fall alone this time.”

She bit the side of her cheek then stepped into my space with clenched fists. “I will not permit you to return to that pit because Danny is of no concern to you. She is a werewolf and a part of our pack,” she clarified.

I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly. “She may be a werewolf, but I am the one who has had to lock her in a cage to insure that she would not murder people in the nearest town for the past eight years. I am the one who has had to watch as she tortured herself with the weight of what she had become and how to control the beast inside her long enough to not tear me and the others apart. I have watched her grow these past eight years to where she is now where she has some semblance of control over herself. She may be a part of your pack because of what she is, but she is my family because of who she is and because I care for her.”

She bore into my eyes then removed herself from my space. “She has been a werewolf for the past eight years?” She questioned.

“Indeed she has been, so excuse me while I attempt to aid my friend once again.”

She stood in my way again. “I still cannot allow you to return to the pit to aid her, but now I understand why she has been having difficulty.”

“What do you mean?”

She stepped back to give me more space. “We assumed that she was newly turned and have been treating her as such, but it is mildly different to aid her knowing that she has had control of the beast within herself for the last eight years. More accurately enough control to know when to transform back before the beast took control of her body.”

“What good will that do her?”

“More than you know.” She moved away from me entirely and went out of the cave. “I shall handle the situation with the information you have given me while you must go back and rest.”

“I am accompanying you. You can do what you must to stop me from returning to the pit to aid her, but you will not stop me from returning there to see how she is fairing.”

Her eyes roamed my body then she looked away. “Stay close to me. If anyone attempts to harm you they will need to speak with me first.”

I strolled over to her clenching my jaw tightly to keep the pain from my face. “Lead the way.”

I followed closely next to her as she steered us in the direction of the pit. It was mid-day and the members of the pack were moving around accomplishing their work and chores that had to be completed for the day. Their eyes fell upon us as we walked slowly through the camp to the pit where Danny was being housed for the moment. I scanned the camp taking in every face and every activity that was being done. The most interesting of things that caught my attention were the romantic relationships. There seemed to be no ban on men being with men or women being with women. It almost seemed as if it was normal for these types of relationships to exist and they existed in the open without any retribution. They lived freely to be with someone they love. I wonder what that would feel like.

“Matthew,” She said as we approached the pit.

He stood up and directed his heated gaze toward me. “I did not know you were going to have company Ell.”

She glanced at me then stared back at him. “She would not stay where she was at until she was allowed to see her friend. I also know that our new friend down there has been a werewolf for the past eight years.”

He growled and trampled over to me. “You did not think to tell me this information sooner?”

“Considering that you had placed bags over our heads then threw us into a pit together and watched as she began to attack me, I did not have the opportunity to give you any information although it is very doubtful that I would have under any other circumstances considering that we do not like you very much,” I said calmly. I stepped around him and walked over to the edge of the pit. I shook and almost lost my balance as I kneeled down. A strong arm gripped my elbow and assisted me.

“Allow me to aid you,” Ell whispered as she settled me down and placed her hand on my shoulder as she stood next to me.

I gazed down into the pit. “Is there no possibility for me to get down there?”

“You are allowed down there when I say you are,” she answered.

I smirked. “You seem to be rather adamant about me not getting near Danny at the moment.”

“That is because she is dangerous and you are in no condition to be near her at the moment.”

I peered down into the pit and watched as Danny circled around shaking her head in attempts to gain back control. She growled loudly then peered up locking eyes with me. She made a lunge up the walls. There was a loud roar from my left beside Ell and I watched as Danny fell from the walls then shrank back against the floor.

"I should be able to help her now that I know she has been a werewolf for the past eight years. I suggest you both return back to your home Ell." 

"I believe that I will accompany our guest on a walk now that she is up and moving." 

"She is your responsibility," he warned.

"I am aware of that.”

He glared at me then jumped into the pit. "It seems that he does not like me," I said. 

"He does not like outsiders." 

I squeezed my knees as I began to rise. "If I was a werewolf would I be welcomed?" 

She pressed her hand to my lower back and grasped my elbow to keep me steady. "He would dislike you less if you were." 

I regained my balance and fixed my shirt before gripping my sword. "Tell me the truth Ell. Is Danny going to be fine?" 

She kept her hand on my elbow and began to lead me back the way we came. "She is a fighter and she will be fine now that Matthew understands why she has been having difficulty."  

"Does it make much of a difference between a newly bitten wolf and one that is older?" 

"It does."

"How so?" 

"A newly bitten wolf must attempt to establish a partnership of trust where the inner wolf must relinquish some responsibility until the new wolf has matured enough to have equal partnership. After that, an older wolf can then demand full responsibility from the inner wolf and the inner wolf will be called upon in times of need." 

"Where would that place Danny at the current moment?" 

"Somewhere in between, but Matthew can now remedy that." 

"How long would that take?" 

"That depends on her." 

I nodded my head and began to look around their camp once more. "What are you looking at hunter?" Someone called out spitefully. 

"Seeing as there is only you to gaze upon I believe it would be clear as to what it is I am looking at," I answered. 

"What did you just say you damn bitch?" He growled as he stepped forward. 

Ell stepped in front of me and bore into his eyes. "You will back down this instant before I embarrass you in front of the entire camp Tobias," she said calmly. 

"You better take control of your pet then Ell," he growled. 

"She is not a pet and maybe you could learn some proper manners from her seeing as you are being rude to our guest," she pushed.

He puffed out his chest to present himself as bigger. "Do not think that just because you hold a high position because of Matthew that you can say what you like without any consequences."

"I do not hold a high position because Matthew favors me if that is what you are implying. I hold a high position because I recall having beaten you and many others for it," she stepped into his space. "Now would you like to relive that moment or would you prefer to move out of our way?" 

He snarled and swung his fist at her face. She easily blocked it then jumped forward placing a well-timed knee into his stomach forcing him back and to bend over slightly with a groan. She tightened her grip around his fist and yanked him forward to collide her fist against his cheek filling the space with the sound of his cracking cheek bones and jaw. She released his hand then laced her fingers together behind his forward bent head then rammed her knee into his nose. The crunch of his nose coupled with the splatter of blood caused many of the others in the camp to take a step back from the situation. She released him then forced him to the ground by kicking his shoulder. His back slammed into the dirt floor and he groaned in pain as he reached for his nose. She peered around to each member of her pack demanding them to challenge her. They all took another step back and their gaze fell to the floor. She turned to me and beckoned me with a nod of her head. I followed her closely as she led me out of the heart of the camp and back to her cave. 

Once we had entered her cave my body gave way to the pain and I pitched forward. She reached out and wrapped her arms around my waist to keep me from falling upon the floor. I gripped her shoulders tightly as I finally recognized the feeling of sweat having pooled around the back of my neck and throughout my body. She shifted me so she could stand beside me and pulled me tightly against her body placing the majority of my weight against her side. She kept a firm grip around my waist as she led me to the bed that I had been using. She deposited me down on the bed and I began to have difficulty breathing and I felt as if my strength had been stolen from me. I closed my eyes and began to assess what could be wrong with my body at the current moment. 

"Your injuries reopened. How long have you been bleeding?" 

I gasped at the feel of her fingers pulling down my trousers. "I do not know. I have the tendency to not notice injuries until I have a reason to." I opened my eyes and gazed up to see her concerned face as I felt the pull of the bandage on my leg from around the claw marks. 

She lifted my leg slightly and rotated it to assess the damage I had done. "This will need to be cleaned before it becomes infected and your new problem becomes attempting not to die from the infection." She lowered my leg then moved to remove my coat and shirt. She pulled my arm around her shoulder and lifted me to sit up so she may remove the bandage from around my stomach. I leaned my weight against her. She pulled the bandage away and blood began to drip down to my waist. "You are unbelievable," she chastised as she lowered me down. A shiver wracked through my body and I clenched my hands into tight fists. 

"I would prefer to receive a lecture at a later time," I said through clenched teeth. 

She peered down at me then cupped my face in her calloused hands. "Do not stop fighting now." 

"I was not planning to," I answered. 

She held my gaze longer before releasing my face and moving away. She began to clean my wounds slowly and placing the suave of medicine to close my wounds on them along with placing new bandages around them. She then assisted me with drinking some medicine she had brewed for the pain and to keep an infection from forming. She lowered my head then reached for the fur blanket pooled at the bottom of my feet. She placed the fur around my body and tucked it in around me. Another shiver ran through my body and I closed my eyes once more. I felt the back of her hand against my forehead. 

"You have a slight fever, but that could be due to you pushing your body before you were ready to."

"It should be gone by tonight. Fevers tend to not last long for me," I said. 

"I take it that this is not the first time you have been in this predicament."

"I am a hunter. I am constantly in this predicament even on a good day." 

"You possibly might want to consider a change of careers."

I chuckled. "That certainly would be nice." 

She caressed my cheek. "Rest now."

"I shall try." 

My body continued to shiver as I fell into a restless sleep. I fell in and out of consciousness throughout the day and well into the night. At some point I felt my wounds being tended to and some clothes being pulled onto my body. At another time I felt a body pressed against the side of mine as my shivers became more frequent and my body felt as if I had been left out in the snows of winter with only my night wear on. I next woke to the feeling of fur pressed against my side that was not the blankets, but was a wolf. I could feel the tremendous amount of heat that was being admitted and I achingly and painfully turned onto my side to curl around the wolf that was at my side. The wolf shifted as I slid my fingers into their coat and recognized that it must be Ell. I registered the softness of her coat as well as the nice white color of it. It was white like pure snow. She moved her head to tuck my head against her neck. More shivers ran through my body due to the immense amount of heat she was admitting before I fell back into sleep. It was more peaceful this time. 

 

 

 

 

 

I woke up feeling soft skin beneath my cheek. I blinked a few times then peered down to see Ell soundly sleeping underneath me. She looked to have stayed awake all night watching over me on top of having stayed up through the second half of the day previous. I slid my arm from around her waist and rolled onto my back. My fever had broken at some point during the night and my body felt heavy from the battle. I ran my fingers through my hair and felt Ell stir next to me. I turned to look at her as she woke then stretched. She pushed herself up into a sitting position then looked down at me with sleepy eyes. Her beauty certainly was unfazed by first light. She reached down and placed the back of her hand against my forehead. 

"Your fever did not come back."

"It would appear so." 

She nodded her head then reached her arms up to stretch out her back. Her shirt lifted to reveal the smooth skin on her side, but also a scar that stretched up higher underneath her shirt to possibly her ribs. She lowered her arms then slipped out of the bed.

"I shall prepare you a bath along with some breakfast then check on your friend to see how she has been fairing." She ran her fingers through my hair pushing it away from my face. "You will not push yourself more than what I allow you to today. Is that understood?" 

"On one condition," I bargained. 

"What condition?" 

"You take me for a short walk as far as you will allow me and allow me to see your wolf form properly."

Her eyes widened slightly. "You saw it?" 

"My fever caused me to have a restless sleep, so I may recall some aspects of the events of last night one being your wolf form." 

She worried her lip as she debated the proposition. "You will listen to my word?" 

"Yes."

She nodded her head. "Then that shall be fine." 

I began to push myself up and fought through the wave of dizziness that came over me. Her arm was instantly around me as she lifted me up into a sitting position. I leaned back against her arm with my eyes closed as I waited for the dizziness to subside. 

"I am still taking a walk," I said stubbornly. 

"I know," she whispered. "It is a good thing our bargain forces you to listen to me about what your limits are." 

"I am coming to regret that decision." 

She rubbed my back. "Not to worry. I have a grasp of what is considered too much for you." 

"Interesting seeing as how the only measurement you could grasp came from the previous day's excursion." 

"That was enough." She let me go. "Will you be fine while I go to enlist more help so we can get you fed as soon as possible?" 

"I shall be fine Ell."

"Call for me if you need help. I shall hear you," she reassured. 

"Thank you." 

 

 

 

 

 

She gripped my waist to stop me from falling forward as she led me to a clearing just outside their camp. I leaned into her side more as my breaths came out more ragged and strained. My body was beginning to ache more. She guided me to a fallen tree then eased me down onto it. She knelt in front of me and began to roll the leg of my trousers up to inspect the injury on my leg. Her hands then went to my shirt and lifted it to inspect the wound on my stomach. Her warm hands rested on my sides as her eyes roamed over my wound. She lowered my shirt and I felt the absence of her hands more than I should have. 

"How does it look?" 

"Like you were attacked by a werewolf," she teased. 

I rolled my eyes. "Aside from the obvious." 

"They look better than when you had received them. You reopening them did not help much, but they should still heal well enough." 

I nodded my head. "Is it wise to not bandage them?" 

"It is beneficial at times to not have them bandaged so that the natural healing process can work more effectively." 

"So long as an infection does not form I shall trust your judgement." 

She smiled. "I shall do my best to keep that trust." 

I smiled then shifted and winced from the pain. "I believe you agreed to show me your wolf form." 

She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Indeed I did." 

She stood up and stepped a few feet away from me. She stared at me then transformed into her wolf form. She was larger than I had anticipated. She stalked over to me and sat at my feet. Her coat was just as I remembered it from my sleepy haze. It was as white as first fallen pure snow. I reached out and slid my fingers through her coat reveling in the feeling of the softness of it. I spread my legs wider and beckoned her to step closer. She filled the space between my legs as I slipped my fingers behind her ears. I scratched behind her ears and she moved to rest her head on my shoulder. I buried my face into her neck and wrapped my arms around her. She was warm and comfortable like she had been last night. 

"You do know that we are not pets," a voice said irritated. 

I released Ell and searched to find Matthew standing behind me. "I am well aware of that fact," I answered. I turned back to Ell to see her baring her teeth at him. 

"I have no intentions of injuring her," Matthew reassured as he moved to take a seat beside me. 

Ell lowered her body and rested her head on my thigh. "How is Danny?" I asked while running my hand through Ell's coat. 

"She has transformed back, so she is resting in Ell's home at the moment. When she wakes we shall start her training on being capable to transform with ease and at will. My hope is that being capable to do so will give her inner wolf more confidence in her ability and to trust her more."

"How did you remedy that conflict?" 

"A bargain. It is not a fully equal responsibility, but it is more control for her than she had before. The inner wolf has given her the control to transform when she needs to, but in times of need the inner wolf holds the full responsibility of that." 

"I need to see her." 

"I am not sure that will be such a good idea," he warned. 

"Why do you say that?" 

"She is tired, but mostly she is filled with guilt for having injured you." 

"That is why I must see her," I reasoned. Ell left me and transformed back into her human form.

"Let us go back," she said bending down to wrap her arm around my waist then lifted me up onto my feet. 

"I hope you do not do more harm than good," Matthew cautioned. 

Ell bore my weight until we reached the camp. I let go of her and strolled through camp on my own fighting the desire to just lean against her again and allow her to carry me through it. She stayed near me enough to catch me if I should lose my balance, but far enough to make it seem as if I was strong enough to take down anyone if they should challenge me. Once we had arrived at her cave I reached out my hand and grasped onto her shoulder. I slid my arm around her as she stepped closer and pulled my body against hers. I glanced around until my gaze fell on Danny who was moving a set of tables with herbs and medicines on it from one end of the cave to the other where the bath tub sat. From there she moved to make a bed of furs in the now empty space. She glanced at me through the corner of her eye, but did not engage me in conversation. Ell carried me over to my bed then sat me down. 

I covered Ell's hands with my own as she grasped the hem of my shirt. "Can you provide me with what is needed for my wounds?" I asked.

She looked from me then to Danny. "I can." 

"Thank you." She left me and walked over to the tables that had been moved. "Danny I need your help." 

Danny froze in her ministrations and her shoulders tensed immensely. She dropped the furs she was holding and waltzed over to me stiffly. She kept her eyes trained to the floor. "What is it you would like me to do?" 

"I need you to clean and dress my wounds," I answered. 

She nodded her head and Ell placed the healing suave and the bandages next to me as Danny began to pull my shirt off. Her hands shook as she stared at the wounds across my stomach caused by her claws. She cleaned the wound and watched as some blood leaked from the wounds. I grabbed her hands to stop them from shaking profusely. 

"I am not going to lie to you and say that this is not your fault because that is not who I am. You caused these injuries, but this is not who you are. You did not inflect them on purpose or in an attempt to end my life. You inflected them because you are inexperienced with all of who you are. I know you will hold the guilt until you pass away, but know that I do not blame you and never will." I released her hands and they stopped shaking. 

With steadier hands she finished cleaning and dressing the wounds on my stomach then she helped me with the wounds on my legs. "I am going to do all that I can to ensure that I never do this again," she vowed. 

"I shall hold you to that," I promised. She nodded her head then went back to finish constructing her bed. 

Ell came forward with a new set of clothes for me. "You should change into these since you bleed into the previous ones," Ell instructed.

"Where do you sleep?" I asked her as I took the clothes from her and pulled them on. 

"I am sharing with one of the others in the pack." 

I looked down at the stone slab that made her bed and the fur that she had laid down for me when I had complained about the cold the second night I had slept on it. "Share with me."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Is that wise?" 

I settled into the bed. "It is fine." 

She stared at me with concern for a moment then slid into the bed. She turned onto her side so her back was facing me then pulled the fur blanket up to her shoulder. I glanced at Danny to see her staring at us curiously before she settled into her furs. The fire in the middle of the room provided enough warmth for all of us in combination with the furs and I fell into a comfortable sleep after many days of pain and aches throughout my body. At one point during the night I turned onto my side and wrapped an arm around Ell's waist molding myself against her back. She was warm and smelled of the big redwoods that surrounded us. It was even more comforting and I fell into an even deeper sleep.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow musictomyearshsau.tumblr.com to ask questions, leave comments, or anything else you would like.


	5. Three's Company

**_Laura_ **

My footsteps echoed against the stone walls as I waltzed down the corridor to the meeting room. I pushed open the doors with the creaking of the wood bringing all who are inside to silence. I strolled to the center of the room and came to a halt with all eyes of the heads of houses and their heirs resting on me. If they had not remained longer after the surrender of Carmilla and Danny to the wolves then I would not have been placed in my current position. I spread my legs shoulder length apart and folded my hands behind my back. I waited for everyone to settle in and for my father to begin the meeting that I had called for.   
He stood up and raised his hands to bring everyone to attention. "This meeting shall begin. Lady Hollis please present your concerns." He sat back down on his throne.

"In light of having lost two of my best hunters to the werewolves, I want to propose replacing them with two heirs with exceptional competency to work with my team."

There was an uproar of disagreement from all those in attendance. "Silence!" My father called above the noise. He waited as everyone hushed. "Who would you wish to replace Lady Karnstein and Lady Lawrence?" My father questioned.

"Sir Theo Truman and Lady Matska Belmonde," I announced strongly.

My father folded his hands on his lap and looked to be suppressing a knowing smile. "What say Sir Theo Truman and Lady Matska Belmonde?" 

"I object on behalf of my heir," Sir Truman stated aggressively.

"I object as well," Mattie stated.

"State your reasoning," my father demanded knowing that the two have been backed into a corner.

"My son will not be subjected to receiving orders from a woman!" Sir Truman spat.

"I do not wish to serve one who has been rumored to be unfit to lead," Mattie explained.

"I am aware that there has been some speculation as to the capabilities of my heir to lead our houses if a tragedy should befall me, but need I remind you all that you had taken an oath to honor and protect my house and in return we shall honor and protect yours. If this proposition my heir has placed before you does not sit well with you then you may leave this alliance, but need I remind you of the last house who attempted to leave us?" My father eyes bore into Sir Truman's lethally.

Sir Truman settled back against his seat. "My son would be honored to serve under your heir's instruction," he responded defeated.

"Lady Belmonde?" My father asked.

She folded her hands on top of the table and glanced at her father. He nodded his head. "We shall see if you are as capable of a leader as you believe yourself to be," she responded snidely.

"Is there anyone who disagrees with this arrangement?" My father opened to the other houses. No one responded. "Then it is settled. Sir Theo Truman and Lady Matska Belmonde will serve on a team under Lady Hollis is instruction," he finalized.

I nodded my head then turned on my heel to exit the room. I was half way down the corridor before a hand clasped onto my shoulder and was pulling me to one of the alcoves. I was thrown against the wall of the alcove as Theo bore down on me. "What game are you playing?" He demanded.

"What makes you assume that I am playing a game?" I demanded in return.

"I had informed you that I had intended to request to move our marriage to an earlier time and now you make this ridiculous request," he snapped angrily.

"What I do I do for my people not for you or anyone else." I stood up straight and stared him down. "You have made it a point to speak to everyone about how I am not capable enough to lead the houses and now you have the opportunity to prove those accusations correct. If you do not want to join me then you can leave, but keep in mind the last time your house decided to leave the alliance," I warned.   
I stepped away from him then made my way down the corridor to my room. I pushed the doors open and JP stood up respectfully. I shut the doors behind me then walked over to my desk.   
"Have you located it yet?" I asked him.

"No I have not. Carmilla did her job well in hiding her black book in a place that no one will ever find it."

"She did her job too well at this very moment."

"That is primarily because we never thought that we would lose her to the wolves."

I sat down in my chair. "That may be true, but we had made it known that if anything should happen to one of us that we would hide our black books in a place where the other could easily find it."

"Then I believe that is where the problem lies."

"Explain?"

"You promised one another to find each other’s black book which means she hid it somewhere that only you would be able to find it."

I folded my hands on my lap. "I do not have the freedom to move about the mansion in search of the book."

"Which is why I decided to take note of the movements of the guards from the other houses along with our own." He placed a small piece of paper down onto my desk.

"Will you be on patrol tonight?"

"Yes. I switched with one of the other guards since it has been a month since they had last seen their wife and children."

"That is what happens when you fall asleep while on duty."

"Yes, but it has presented us with the opportunity for you to be able to sneak around the mansion in search of Carmilla's black book."

"Indeed it has."

JP took a seat then crossed his legs. "Why is finding her book a matter of importance?"

"My father intends to move Theo into Carmilla's bed chamber and I do not want him to get a hold of that book and its information."

He nodded his head in agreement. "How much longer do you wish me to continue to feign incompetence with my training?"

"Is it becoming an issue?"

"Not particularly, but it is unknown on how much longer they are willing to spend time on me before they make the decision to banish me from the house."

I tapped my fingers against the arm of my chair. "I say that you gradually show that your skills are improving so that they focus more on you, but not enough for them to realize that you have been holding back this entire time."

"Understood. Is there anything else that I may help you with?"

"Not at the moment. The only other task you can do for me at this time is to knock on my doors tonight to alert me that the corridors are clear."

"Understood." He stood from his seat then exited my bed chambers.

I sighed and gazed around my room. My dear Carmilla, where would you have put your black book?   


 

 

 

 

 

I paced back and forth with the chill of the stone beneath my bare feet and my sword bumping against my hip as my only company at this late hour. There was a knock at my door followed by the sound of boots pacing away from it. I counted to five before moving to my door. I opened the door up a sliver and waited for the sounds of any other boots against stone. I opened the door wider then peered around the crack to the distant end of the corridor on either side. I slipped out of my room careful to close the door as silently as possible. I gripped my sword holding it steady as I padded across the stone cold floor keeping my ears trained for any sound that seemed out of place as well as flicking my gaze around my surroundings for any unexpected guests.

I peered around the corner of the corridor that led to Carmilla's room satisfied that I had not stumbled upon anyone up to this point. I made my way to Carmilla's room and slipped inside it soundlessly. I stripped the blanket from her bed and lined the crack underneath the door with it before lighting the small hand held candle stationed on her desk. The candle did not offer too much light, but it was enough to cast away the shadows within the room so I may check every crevice in which she could have hidden her black book. I could not piece together where exactly she would have hidden her book especially in terms of the secrets we shared between one another. There was nothing that stood out significantly that would lead me to her book. The only option I had left to me was to search every bit of her room as quickly and quietly as I possibly could in the twenty minute intervals between the patrols coming down the corridor outside.

I set about searching around and within her desk for the book as well as for any trap doors that she may have created to hide it more proficiently. I unsheathed my sword and began tapping on every stone on the floor to see if one had been hollowed out as well as scraping my fingernails painfully against the crevices between each stone to determine if one of them could be pulled out from the floor. I heard the sound of footsteps echo in the corridor and I leaped to the desk and blew out the candle. I waited for the footsteps to disappear and counted to ten before lighting the candle once more to continue my search.

I inspected the wood frame of her bed and within her bed for any signs of tampering by her. I then began inspecting the visible stone of the walls for any signs of having been used to hide the book. Once more I blew the candle out and waited for the patrol to pass before proceeding to take apart the book shelf. One shelf at a time I pulled the books out from their places and turned the pages to ensure that none of the books had been hollowed out. I ran my fingertips along the smooth wood frame of the bookshelf then placed the books back in their proper place. I did this for another three patrols before I had finished searching the very top shelf and stepped down from the ladder that she had placed in her room to reach the top shelf. The candle had burned down to the very last inch during this time and needed to be replaced.

I blew the candle out then removed the blanket from under the door. I made the bed back into the specific manner it was in before I had arrived. I grabbed the remaining piece of the candle and debated on what to do with the wax that had accumulated in its holder. I had not thought to bring a new candle nor a canister to pour the wax in. A set of footsteps befell the corridor and I stood still listening to them as they stalked toward the room. They paused just outside the door and I quickly padded to press my back flat against the stone wall and waited for the door to open. I gripped my sword tightly. The door creaked open then shut as silently as possible.

"Lady Hollis?" JP whispered into the darkness.

I sighed heavily. "Here," I said from beside him.

He turned to face me. "Were you able to locate the book?"

"Unfortunately it is not here," I answered. "What are you doing in here?"

He pulled a small hand bag from around his waist. "I thought you may be needing these." He revealed a candle that looked to have been used and was the same measurement as the one that had been occupying Carmilla's desk before I used it. He also held out a small still canister for the wax.

"Thank you. I did not think to bring these with me." I emptied the still scorching hot wax into the canister then closed it as I moved to set the candle holder and the new candle in the same exact place as it was before. I surveyed the room as my eye sight had adjusted to the darkness of it making sure that I had placed everything back into their proper place. "Let us go before we are caught."

He nodded his head then walked to the door. He stopped me then opened the door slightly peeking out into the corridor. He then slipped out of the room and beckoned me to follow. I followed behind him matching his steps as he walked his patrol route. It was easier to walk patrol with him back to my room than to backtrack to my room and be caught by the patrol behind him. He pushed me into an alcove every so often upon hearing the boots of the other patrols converging in the intersections of the corridors. Once the area was clear, he would beckon me with the knock of his knuckles against stone. Once we had reached my bed chamber he opened the door for me and took back the bag with the used candle and the canister filled with wax. He left me to continue his patrol for the remaining hours of the night.

I listened as his footsteps disappeared then removed my sword from my hip. I walked to my cabinet with my armour and placed my sword down into its holder. I shut the cabinet then sighed and threaded my fingers through my hair. Where would she have put the book? It was nowhere within her room and JP had searched the entirety of the library when he was able to slip away from his training and patrols. If it is not in those two places then where would she have hidden the book? I stared around my room and thought of the times that she had been in here. She could not have had the time to create a hiding place in here could she? I bit my lower lip. It is possible, but when would she have had the time to do so? To be able to construct a hiding place within my room she would have had to have had unlimited access to my room during the hours when she was not assisting my father or LaFontaine with a task, training, out on missions, or with me. She took very little time for herself, so if she had created something here then it would have taken her ages to do so.

I glanced around my room once more then grabbed my sword once again. I began to comb through my room for any signs of her having hid the book within it. At first light I finished searching my room with no luck. I placed my sword back with my armour then slid into bed to sleep for the little bit of time that I could before breakfast was served. I shall continue searching at the next possible time to do so. For now I will take comfort in knowing that the book was not within her room and therefore Theo did not have access to it.

* * *

 

**_Carmilla_ **

I stumbled and pitched forward. Ell's arms encircled me instantly and pulled me against her. She held onto me as I steadied my body. I tapped her arm to let her know that I was fine. She slowly released me and moved to stand beside me. She kept a hand on the small of my back as I placed my hands on my hips and took a deep breath. I focused on my breathing in order to combat the pain that was radiating throughout my leg. Ell began to caress my back through my borrowed shirt with her thumb. I concentrated on the pressure of her thumb against my back and found that that worked more effectively than concentrating on my breathing. I released my hips then stiffen my back. She pulled her hand away from my back and I felt the absence of her touch. It has become a regular occurrence to want her touch as soon as it disappeared over the past week since Danny transformed back.

Danny was still having difficulty with transforming at will, but they were at least capable of transforming back and forth between their human and wolf form now. The only drawback was that it typically took hours in order to do so. She at least made it a priority to transform back to her human form by nightfall for every night she would tend to my wounds under the careful watch of Ell. She also avoided speaking with me as she cleaned and dressed my wounds and has yet to bring up the topic of me and Ell sharing a bed these past few nights. If she does not wish to speak about it then I will not bring the topic to the table either. She was also still dealing with the guilt of having injured me if her shaking hands as she treats my wounds were any indication to that fact. There were only so many words that I could say, but it is her decision and guilt to work through and not my own.

I held my head up high as I took my next step forward. My strength was steadily returning to me as my wounds healed thanks to Ell's ointment and careful treatment. I am still too far away from being able to make the journey back to House of Hollis for fear of an infection taking root in my still open wounds. There was also the matter of Ell not allowing me to push myself further than what I was capable of in order to speed up the process of healing. She would merely grumble and make it a point to remind me that I am human and that I must take better care of myself least I die prematurely. I fought her on this topic many times before, but she still does not budge and threatens to lift me over her shoulder and carry me back to her home to keep me locked away until my wounds were fully healed. She explained that she is simply humoring my desire to walk around the camp, but that she could easily take away that privilege if I should disobey her instructions. Unfortunately for her, I test the limits of her instructions as much as I am able to. I have gotten good at memorizing her facial expressions when it comes to what she will and will not allow me to do. For someone strict on not allowing me to go beyond her instructions, she allows me to go beyond them if only just a little.

We made our way through camp with her by my side with her shoulder brushing against my own and her hands folded behind her back. I gripped the hilt of my sword as we walked and tapped the fingers on my free hand against the air. My fingers itched to grab a hold of her, but it is inappropriate to do so in the open despite the many couples made up of the same sex freely displaying their affection within the camp. It was still an unsettling sight to me since it is forbidden amongst my people, but it was still a welcoming sight because it confirms that the love I hold for Laura is not forbidden in all places. It confirmed that love knows no bounds and that if Laura and I had been born into a different world then we would most likely look like these couples; free to love and carefree to display their affection in public.

I glanced at Ell through the corner of my eye and reacquainted myself with the beauty that she is. I am not averse to her preventing me from falling upon the ground now. I am simply averse to her touching me in any capacity in front of others. I looked down at the ground. I stretched the fingers of my hand then fought the need to tap them against the empty space between my thigh and fingertips. What is wrong with me? I am in love with Laura, yet Ell has caught my eye all the same regardless of my heart being closed to others. It is a strange thing to be in love with one woman and to be thinking of another.   
We arrived to the clearing outside of the camp that I now like to consider being ours since this is as far as Ell will allow me to go on our walks. She helped lower me down onto the fallen log then began to inspect my leg and then my stomach to confirm that my wounds had not reopened. Once she was satisfied with the results, she sat down beside me. It was customary for us to sit in companionable silence watching as the wind blew against the tree tops ahead and the tall grass for a moment before we started any conversations. I have learned many things about her from the conversations we have been having. The most important subject that I have yet to learn more about is how she came to be a werewolf.

I removed my sword from my hip then leaned it against the log in order to become more comfortable. "May I ask you something personal? You do not have to answer me if you do not wish to," I began.

"What would you like to know?" She responded.

"How did you become a werewolf?" She sucked in a deep breath then let it out slowly as her body tensed. "You do not have to answer," I reminded her.

We sat in silence once more as I glanced at her through the corner of my eye. She wrung her hands together over and over again as she stared intently at a faraway spot in front of her. It seemed that she was looking at a different point in time as supposed to anything ahead in this clearing. She folded her hands together then shook her head slightly to clear it. She sat straighter and her shoulders were tense. She cleared her throat then glanced at me. I looked away and waited for her to say something even if it was something to change the topic of conversation. She cleared her throat once more.

"You know that I had lived in a village almost thirty leagues to the north from this camp and that I was the sole child of a blacksmith and that my mother had passed during childbirth with me," she began. "My father was a busy man and did not know how to raise a daughter, so I spent the majority of the time in the surrounding woods. Each day I would go further and further into the woods to test my bravery against the boys in my village. One day I had gone farther than anyone else had dared to go before. It was there I met a beautiful dark grey wolf by a stream." She looked down at the grass beneath her feet. "The elders had warned us that werewolves roamed the forest and to not go as far as the stream, but that if we did we should turn back and run." She smiled. "I did not heed those warnings and stood there at the steam with this wolf. In my youth I simply thought it was a big dog," she laughed, "but it was a werewolf which was confirmed once they had transformed right before my eyes." She tilted her head to the right a bit. "She was a beautiful woman and she seemed to be very strong as well. That day my life changed not because I was bitten, but because she took care of me."

She met my eyes. "That woman took a look at me and knew that I had no mother from the sheer sight of the state of my dress and hair. She asked me my name and from whence I came as well as if I had any family. She asked me about whom I am and why I was out in the woods that day. She warned me that traveling the woods was dangerous especially alone and for a little girl." She looked back down. "She sat down and began pulling daisies out from a patch beside her. She twisted and knotted them until it formed a crown. I knew I should have been afraid of her and what she was, but she was the only older woman who had showed any compassion toward me, so I joined her and she taught me how to make a crown of flowers and I made one for her. I had visited the stream every day since and she took care of me. She braided my hair, made sure I had bathed, washed my dress if it was dirty, and brought me new dresses she had made. She was a mother to me."

She took a deep breath and the mood turned somber. "I was startled from my sleep by the screaming coming from outside my window. My father barged into my room and I had never seen such fear in his eyes before." She gulped and began to wring her hands again. "He lifted me from my bed and held me tightly to him as he ran from our house. I watched from over his shoulder as the people from my village were attacked. It took a while to figure out that they were being attacked by vampires. After, I heard a loud howl coming from the woods and the werewolves sprang out from them. They began to attack the vampires and it turned into a war between the two." Her body began to shake. "I watched in search of the woman I had begun to consider my mother and spotted her on the edge of the woods. Just as I had, a vampire tore my father from me and when he had done so his nails had dug into my right side and pulled a piece of my flesh away. I fell to the ground and my blood began to flow rapidly out of my side."  
I slid closer to her and placed my hand on her thigh. I caressed her thigh to comfort her. "It seemed as if time had stopped as I laid on the ground bleeding as the village around me erupted into more screams. Blackness began to cloud my sight. It was then that I saw the grey fur of my mother werewolf. She gazed down at me with sadness in her eyes then bowed her head. I felt the searing pain of teeth sinking into my neck and shoulder. The world had gone completely dark after since the pain was too overwhelming. Once I had woken up, I was no longer in my village and I was being carried on a bed by two people I had never seen before. The woman had died that night after having bit me in order to protect me from being taken away or murdered for good. I was left in the care of her pack and her mate. It was later that her mate had told me that she could not bear children and thus had considered me her child and that was why they had gone to my village that night. She wished to protect me and to take me back with her as her own."

She wiped the corner of her eyes to prevent her tears from falling. "I have had two mothers in my lifetime and they have both died because of me."

I moved my arm away from her thigh and wrapped it around her waist pulling her against me. "They seemed to have loved you immensely and there is no greater comfort than knowing you were loved no matter how briefly," I said in hopes of comforting her.

She rest her head on my shoulder. "Thank you," she said simply.

"What was her name?"

"Alice."

"May she continue to rest peacefully," I said then pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

She sighed against me. "What caused you to become a hunter?" She asked after a moment of silence.

I stilled at the question. I did not like to share my story with others because I did not wish to relive those haunting memories. They still brought about nightmares to this day, but they only invaded my sleep maybe twice or three times a month which is significantly better than the every night that they had used to be. Ell's hand rested on my thigh and she began to trace mindless patterns upon it. I drew comfort from her touch.

"My family used to run a brothel and I had begun to help with as much as I could at the age of seven. It was during one of our busy nights that vampires had descended upon our town and began to drain the blood from everyone. Some fed out of hunger while others treated it as a game," I began angrily. "The objective of the game was to see who could drain the most people within two minutes. There were no boundaries." I squeezed her hip tightly. "I had finished delivering drinks to one of the rooms on the second floor when the vampires barged into our brothel. People attempted to escape, but they were soon caught and drained of their life. Those who were not drained fell victim to the fact that there were no rules to their game. I watched as people were torn apart into pieces as if their lives did not matter; as if they felt no pain. I watched as blood flew in all directions and pooled on the floor. I stared into lifeless eyes scattered about the parlor. I listened to the deafening screams and the laughs of the vampires as they had their fun."

I released her from my hold and she sat up. I folded my hands and leaned my forehead against them. "I watched my father's head be torn off and listened to my mother as she screamed while being drained of her blood before being discarded as if she were trash." I took a deep breath as the images flooded my mind. "Another vampire had entered the brothel. He looked up and our eyes met. I froze, but when I saw him make his way around the others and gaze at the destruction they were causing I ran to the room at the end of the floor. I locked the door behind me then hid in the closet. I covered my ears as the sound of splintering wood filled the floor as the doors to the other rooms were broken down. There were more screams and then the door to the room I hid in was broken down." I felt her hand rest against the small of my back. "He opened the closet door and bore down at me with blood spilling over his chin. He cleaned his mouth with the sleeve of his coat then kneeled down in front of me. He slipped his coat off and wrapped it around me. He told me to stay silent and that he will come back to help me once all was over. He closed the closet then left. I listened as the screams began to die down inside the brothel and outside. I stayed silent as he had instructed and waited for his return."

I lowered my hands. "I jumped at the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs then down the corridor to where I hid. The closet doors were pushed open slowly and he stood there once more. I saw that he had changed out of his blood stained clothes then kneeled down to ask if I would like to live or not because he could take me somewhere safe or I could stay there and die. I chose to live and so he lifted me into his arms and cradled my head against his shoulder as he carried me away. He carried me all the way to the House of Belmonde and stopped at the edge of the woods that surrounded the house."

I stared at the grass beneath my feet. "When I asked why he took me to the home of known vampire hunters, he said that he wanted to give me the chance to seek revenge if I should wish to when I was older. He said that he was sorry for what had happened and for what I had to witness, but that if I proved myself that I could learn to hunt them and that he will be waiting for the moment we met again." I met her sorrowful gaze. "The only problem is that I wish to meet him again to thank him for not allowing me to die that night. I care not for revenge, but to prevent other families from having a similar experience. I wish to protect not kill, but if I must kill then I will not hesitate to do so. The only revenge I seek is on the elder who had ordered them to attack my town for she did it for the pleasure of torturing and killing the people. She did it because she needed a source of entertainment."

"Who is it that you seek?" She asked.

"Her name is Lilita and she will pay for what she had done."

Her eyes grew worried. "You must be careful. I have heard many stories about her and they are filled with rivers of blood."

"I am well aware of the stories."

She let out a heavy breath. "I cannot wish you well in your endeavor, but I will pray that you live."

"That is more than others will do for me," I stated honestly.

"Because they know a fool’s errand when they hear of one."

"That may be true, but you associate with this fool," I teased.

She bumped her shoulder against mine and smiled. "I have had worse company and less stubborn as well."

"I like to believe you find my stubbornness endearing."

"That may or may not be true," she answered with a twinkle in her eye. "Now come. You need new bandages for your wounds and your friend should be finishing her training for the day soon."

I grasped her hand and she pulled me to my feet. I grabbed my sword and tied it to my hip once more. I reached for her hand and caressed the back of it. "Thank you for sharing with me your story."

She glanced down at our hands then stepped closer to me. She pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek. "Thank you for sharing as well," she whispered in my ear.

She stepped away and I felt a pull within my chest to pull her to me once more. It was a pull demanding me to place her within my arms and to feel her warmth against my body. It was a pull that I wish I did not feel.

* * *

 

**_Laura_ **

I leaned against the balcony as I gazed down at those who are training to become recognized hunters. I watched as JP sparred with the student at the top of the class. He put up enough of a fight to show that he was improving, but not enough to show that he was in fact capable of winning the bout against her. After, he sparred against one of the students at the bottom of the class. He maintained his level of expertise that he used against the top student and managed to just barely beat this student who is only a level above him. He lost the next two fights to students in the middle rank of the class then fell back in line to wait for his turn again in the rotation. He stood still and flicked his gaze up to me. I nodded my head subtly and he refocused on his training. So long as JP remains merely a student, he shall be on the patrol team until he has been deemed fit enough to become a hunter. With JP as a member of patrol, it is easier to roam around the mansion at night when needed. It especially was convenient when we had to sneak Danny out during the full moon. I moved away from the railing of the balcony at the thought of Danny. I will get both her and Carmilla back either alive or dead.

I walked down the corridors and slowed as I came upon Carmilla's room. Theo's men were removing her possessions at this moment. By nightfall they will have moved in all of his possessions and he would officially be a ward in our home. I waited for his men to clear the path then continued to make my way to my room. I glanced into Carmilla’s room briefly and watched as the books were being removed from the shelves. I turned away and continued to my room.

I have yet to find Carmilla's black book after days of searching. I searched the library once more and also Perry's workshop, but there was nothing to be found. I had even allowed Kirsch to travel to the dungeon that we had used to hide Danny away during the full moon to search if the book had been hidden there by Carmilla, but much as with every other place of significance for her there was nothing to be found. I was losing my patience with this search because there were no results to be presented. At the moment the only conclusion I could draw was that she still had it within her person and if that were true I have half the mind to kill her for such a lapse of judgment. She knows better than any other person that life can be taken so easily and so swiftly that to think one incapable of being killed was a foolish boast of a large ego. She was the best marksman within our house, but even she would get injured and there were times that I believed I would lose her to those injuries. She has proven that she is stronger than most because she has yet to have died, so I must believe that she still lives even now. I cannot lose hope that she will not return to me.

I entered my bed chamber and removed my sword from my hip placing it back within my wardrobe with my armour. I sat at my desk and began to read through the reports my father has tasked me with reviewing for him.  I settled back in my chair and read the reports as I twirled the ring on my third finger of my right hand that Carmilla had given me for my thirteenth year around repeatedly. I stopped twirling the ring and set the report down upon my desk. I removed the ring from my finger and held it between my forefinger and thumb. Carmilla immensely enjoyed puzzles as well as hunting for treasure. One of the things we did during the time we had to ourselves after training was to make maps and clues to give to one another so that the other could find the treasure that had been hidden and whoever could find their treasure first would win. Carmilla would always win because her maps and clues were always so simple and hidden in plain sight that it was always easily missed because I would be looking too hard or for something more complicated. She said that hiding objects in plain sight was the best way to keep things hidden because people always searched for things kept in the dark. Knowing Carmilla, the ring she gave me was not just a ring; it was part of a larger Puzzle that I needed to figure out.

I turned the ring over to see the inside of the band. Within the inside there was a pair of trees with their branches knotted together in the middle. Memories of my birthday and the moment she presented the ring to me came forward. I had asked her what the trees meant, but she only answered that when the time came I would figure it out for myself. She walked away with a smile and a book in her hand as she headed to her next training session for the day. I gripped the ring in the palm of my hand and sighed. The book. The book from that day was a book she read countless times before my birthday and after it. She had offered to let me read it once, but I had declined because I had numerous books I had to read because it was part of my training to be well read in different languages as well as history. I had asked her many times to read it to me, but she never would because she said it was a book I had to read on my own so I may draw my own conclusions from it and not pester her for her thoughts and theories of it. The trees on the ring are from that book.

I slid the ring onto my finger. I got up and walked to my own shelve of books. Hidden in plain sight. No one would question a book on a book shelf among other books like it and knowing Carmilla, she would place that book in my trust because I am the only one she can trust even if she did not love me the way that she does. I read each title of every book on my shelf until I found it placed with my collection of Shakespeare tragedies. Triston and Isolde by Thomas Malory. I removed the book from my shelf and began to read the story from the beginning since I did not know where within the story the two trees would come about. In some way I feel that this was Carmilla's way of ensuring that I finally read this book.   


 

 

 

 

 

I crept along the corridors silently with my shoes held within my hand and a tight grip on the hilt of my sword. Thankfully JP was able to give me the times for the patrol on short notice as well as find a way to have Kirsch perched on the wall along with him. I stepped out into the courtyard and paused to place my boots onto my bare feet. I looked to the wall and waited for JP and Kirsch to signal that it was clear to cross the courtyard to the hidden entrance in the wall that we used for Danny. He brandished his sword and placed it on his shoulder as he walked across the section of the wall where the entrance was hidden. I looked to Kirsch and saw him do the same. I sprinted across the courtyard to the side wall then push the growing vines aside to slip through the entrance to outside the wall. I ran into the woods and began to make my way over to my family's graveyard.

My eyes adjusted to the dark of the forest as I slowly picked my way through to the graveyard in search of Carmilla's black book. My mind wandered back to the book that Carmilla had hidden the information of where her black book was and it made my heart seize within my chest. If one should remove the facts of the love potion, the story is simply about a couple who loved one another in secret for their love was forbidden. They sought happiness elsewhere, but the thought of one another never left their hearts and though they could not be together in life they were together in death. I cannot change the path we were born to, but I will always love Carmilla even if I can never show it freely.  Maybe in our death we will be together without restraint.

I stepped into the graveyard and took a deep calming breath. My heart began to pulsate rapidly as my skin crawled from the coldness of the air around me. The memory of having been out here to bury my mother surfaced to the forefront of my mind. She had been attacked on her return home from an errand she was running in the next town over. I did not think that I would ever have to grow up without my mother even though I knew there was always the possibility that it may happen. I walked through the graveyard and stifled that memory as much as possible. The memory that matters most at the moment is the one I have with Carmilla here. She had wanted to see where my mother was buried, but it then turned into a history lesson of all the hunters who have been buried here since the beginning of our house. The one story she had been most interested in was the story of Abraham Hollis.

Abraham was a great hunter for his time and he had been married to a woman named Marianne. Together they had taken down more vampires than any other team of two had taken down in their time as well as having survived the longest since there were not many hunters then as there are now. Their marriage and partnership ended when Marianne was bitten by a vampire during one of their hunts. It is customary for us to kill one of our own once they have been bitten during battle because vampires bite to kill or turn when they fight hunters. Abraham could not bring himself to kill his wife even though he knew that she would turn and there was a chance that she would attack out of hunger and murder us all. In the end she turned and then murdered him, but even with his last breaths he declared that he will love her for eternity. He was buried with a headstone that only had his name, the year he was born, and the year he died. When someone next checked his headstone, an infinity sign had been carved into the stone. Some say that his wife carved it since she had survived and evaded all hunting parties that searched for her. They say it was her way to say that his love will forever be returned.

I kneeled before the headstone and traced the infinity sign with my fingertips. Carmilla can never admit out loud to others that she loves me, but this is the best we can ever hope for. I looked down at the dirt and found that a part of it had recently been dug up just under where the moss and weeds were growing at the corner of the headstone. I pulled my dagger out from inside my boot and began to dig in that spot. It was not long until I saw the book then pulled it out from the dirt. It was bound in brown leather and tied with a string. I released it from the leather and looked through the pages. Every name of victims who had not been turned or died was listed in the front of the book. I turned to the back of the book and half of the names of Theo's victims were listed there. I wrapped the book in the leather once more then tucked it into my coat pocket. This book combined with mine gave me the full list of Theo's victims and now I have a second plan if the first one should fail.

* * *

 

**_Carmilla_ **

I woke with a start as the remnants of my nightmare clung to my waking mind until a gentle touch pressed against the small of my back. I took a breath of fresh air and closed my eyes. My heart raced and my breath was ragged. My body was drenched in sweat and shaking. The hand slid under my shirt and began to trace mindless patterns as I focused on slowing my breathing. I sat up straight and pulled my knees to my chest. I thread my fingers through my hair pushing some of it out of my face. Once I could breathe again I looked down at Ell who was watching me intently with concern. She removed her hand from my back and I felt the chill of losing her warmth run up my spine.

"You should get back to sleep," I whispered.

"You should as well," she replied.

"I cannot. I need to take a walk."

"I shall go with you then," she said while lifting herself up.

I swung my leg over her hip then pushed her back down by her shoulders. I sat on top of her for a moment then rolled off of her to settle my feet onto the freezing ground. "I cannot have you come with me, so please trust that I will not do anything I am not supposed to."

"Carmilla," she plead.

I looked at her tiredly. "Please Ell."

She reached out and ran her fingertips slowly along my arm. "Alright, but take my coat at least. It is rather cold outside at night."

I nodded my head. "Thank you." 

I moved away from the bed and grabbed my sword from beside it. I went to the entrance of the cave and slid my feet into my boots then grabbed her fur coat. I walked out into the rush of cold air and saw the wisps of my breath in front of me as I breathed. I closed my eyes enjoying the chill against my skin then proceeded to walk to the clearing as silently as I could, but the pain in my leg still made it somewhat of a task to keep my steps light enough to not be heard. My body began to shiver as I walked around the camp instead of through it like I do with Ell when we go on our walks. It does not seem right to do without Ell seeing as this is not my place since I am not one of them. I know that Ell serves as more than just a healer helping me to heal my wounds, she is also a guard who keeps others from harming me in any way. I clutched her coat in my hand. The coat is meant to protect me since I will be dosed in her scent, but I do not want it. I do not like this feeling of being claimed by scent even if it is for my protection. It makes it seem as if it is more than just that and I am conflicted about that prospect.

I reached the clearing and took my usual seat on the log. It was more peaceful in the dark of night with the sounds of crickets my only company. This is better than the nightmares that have been my night companion for the past few days since speaking with Ell. I have relied on her every night to calm my chaotic mind and to sooth me back to sleep in her arms with her gentle touch against my back. It had become easy to fall asleep in her arms and feel her warmth beneath me, but the feeling of guilt has become an increasing weight on my chest on top of the fear that hums through my body from my nightmares. I know the amount of time I have my nightmares will fade away with time, but the comfort and ease I am finding with Ell only increases the longer I reside here by her side. I dare say that I might be developing some sort of affection towards her.

"Following me now Danny?" I said aloud.

"How did you know it was me?" She asked as she sat next to me.

"Your wolf smell has become stronger than before. You may need to ask how to mask it when around hunters."

"I hope my smell is not as musky as Matthew's."

"It is more of a lavender smell."

"That's good then. Soothing and not overpowering."

"Did Ell send you?"

"No. You forget that I have had a first view of your nightmares as much as Laura has if not more since you despised her seeing you so weak."

"You have a valid point."

"It has been a while since you have had them so frequently."

I stayed silent for a moment. "I told Ell about how I came to be a hunter."

She hummed in understanding. It grew silent once more and I began to feel the cold deep in my bones.

"I have noticed you and Ell growing closer," she said as her warm coat wrapped around my shoulders.

"She is a good woman." I pulled the coat around me tighter. "I am still in love with Laura," I declared.

"I know." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I also know that Laura cannot give you what Ell can."

"What is that?" I asked as I turned to look at her.

"A life where you do not have to hide the way you feel or hide the physical touches for fear of being persecuted." She looked me in the eyes with seriousness. "There comes a time where we must decide between the one we are in love with and the one we love because one can give you what the other cannot, but we have to live with the consequences of that decision. You can either be happy and free or content and in hiding."

"I would not go so far as to say that I love Ell," I corrected.

"But there is the possibility."

I sighed heavily. "What should I do?"

"That is for you to decide." She stood and held her hand out to me. "I will understand your decision no matter what it is and I shall not blame you for it."

I stared into her eyes to see the empathy that filled them. I grabbed her hand and allowed her to help me to my feet. "Thank you."

She nodded her head and we slowly walked back to Ell's home. My heart still belonged to Laura and always shall, but with Ell I can have what I cannot with Laura and that is freedom to love her without the thought of being killed for my actions. Is that truly enough though?


	6. Wishing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: for blood, violence, and whipping

**_Laura_ **

I ripped the gloves from my hands as I stormed into my home following behind JP and Mattie as they did their best to maneuver Kirsch to the infirmary to remove the arrow protruding from his shoulder. Theo followed behind me with his nonchalant attitude about the whole situation and it was taking a great amount of strength to not turn around and strangle him to death with my bare hands for his complete disregard for following orders. This was the third time he has disobeyed my order and by doing so has resulted with yet another person landing in the infirmary for treatment for a wound that should have not been inflicted upon them if Theo had only listened to my order.

JP and Mattie turned into the infirmary. I stopped outside of the entrance and put my hand up to press against Theo’s chest to stop him from proceeding into the room. I glanced inside to see LaFontaine drop what it is they were doing and go to aid Kirsch immediately. Theo stood back from the entrance with a smirk on his face. Mattie and JP set Kirsch down on one of the vacant beds then Mattie left to join me at the entrance. She had her own unnecessary wounds that needed to be tended to, but even she had had enough of Theo and his blatant disregard for orders. I put a hand up to stop her from launching at Theo and strangling him with her own hands. She snarled at him and crossed her arms tightly in front of her chest.

I looked to Theo. “You have had a little over a month to learn our routine and to not cause trouble for my team, but it seems that you are incapable of following orders and being a member of a team. I do not know what it is they are teaching you at your house, but here a disobeyed order can and will get you killed!” I snapped at last.

“Please. If he is such a great hunter then he would not have gotten injured in the first place,” Theo said condescendingly.

I balled my hand into a fist to stop myself from grabbing him by the collar and throwing him against the wall. “This is the third person that you have sent to the infirmary because of your complete disregard for orders. If you wish to be killed then do it on your own time, but you will not put my people in harm’s way because you lack the ability to care for anyone else but yourself!” Another smirk crossed his face and Mattie took a step closer to him. I put my arm out to stop her. “No,” I directed to her. He looked up at her with a challenge in his eye. “He will learn his lesson for human life, for the life of a comrade, the way that every person in this house has learned,” I said ruthlessly.

He stepped into my space challengingly. “And what way is that?” He spat.

I clasped a pair of chains onto his wrists and he peered down in shock. “You will understand.” I grabbed the end of the chain link and dragged him behind me enjoying the feel of his stumbling steps behind me.

“My father will hear about this!” He raged.

“Yes and my father will have no issues with explaining that you belong to our house now and therefore you obey our rules,” I answered as I pulled him along the hallway to the outside training grounds at the center of the house.

Mattie walked beside me with a hand on the hilt of her sword and the other clenched into a tight fist. She still had the desire to punch him repeatedly, but thankfully she showed restraint. We arrived to the training grounds that were lit by the torches all around. There was a class currently using the grounds and they all paused to watch as I pulled Theo into the space, but stayed off to the side. My father looked away from two members of his class that were still currently the only ones who had not noticed that we had appeared. He gave them an order to halt their sparring match then gave the order for everyone to come to attention. The class quickly assembled into lines as my father waltzed over to me with his hands held behind his back. He halted in front of us and glanced behind me to see Theo with chains around his wrists.

“Laura, care to explain?”

“I believe it would be best if Matska was the one to explain,” I answered.

My father did not smile, but it was hidden in the gleam in his eye knowing that if Matska was the one to explain then the situation would be received better. “Indeed. Matska?” He questioned moving his gaze to her.

“We are here because due to Truman’s inability to follow direct orders, he has unnecessarily sent three hunters to the infirmary with injuries that will take weeks to heal before they are capable of active duty once more,” she answered meeting his calm gaze with a fiery one of her own.

“I see,” he mused changing his gaze to Theo. He looked him up and down. “Do you know why we train our hunters in groups and not as individuals?” He asked Theo calmly.

“Because you are all weak,” he scoffed. I looked pass my father to see his students stir with anger since Theo paid no mind to keeping his voice down. Theo wanted everyone to hear him.

My father glanced back at his students then back to Theo. “We are only as strong as the person next to us. We may die alone, but we can survive longer together. We are born alone, but our lives are in the hands of another. Together we breathe, we live, we fight, we survive, we grow. Together we are capable of more than just dying,” he recited our house mantra. “We work as a team because we are the only ones fighting not only for ourselves, but for the lives of those who do not know we exist. We fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. We fight because it is our destiny to fight. If we lose one person we lose hundreds of the human race and that is why we train together and not apart. Only we can keep each other safe.” I released my hold on Theo’s chains as my father stepped forward to bore down on him. “You are a member of our house and you will be punished accordingly.” The fear in Theo’s eyes surfaced to the forefront. My father looked to me. “You will be the one punishing him.”

The color drained from my face. I stepped forward to engage my father in a private conversation. “Do you believe that is wise?” I asked him.

“It is time you take up more responsibility my daughter. I and Marcus will not always be here.” He glanced down at me. “I can summon Marcus if you wish,” he paused, “but I do not know how others will look at you if I were to do so.”

I gulped and looked at his students standing in line. A few of them glanced over to me with questioning, yet challenging eyes. It is no secret that many of the hunters here do not wish me to take over. “I will do it,” I conceded.

His mouth turned into a small smile. “As you wish my daughter.”

He grabbed Theo’s chains and pulled him fully into the training grounds. He barked out orders for his students to line up along the edge of the training grounds and specified three of them to erect the poles for punishment.

“Laura,” Mattie whispered.

“Do not say a word,” I said biting back the bile that was threatening to come forward.

“You do not have to do this. People will follow you for you not for how much like your father you are.”

“If you honestly believe that then you have not spent enough time here to see the true colors of those I will someday lead.”

“What would Carmilla say?” She reasoned.

I unclasped my sword from my waist and held it out to her to hold. I glanced at the ground momentarily before looking up at her. “Nothing. She would simply hold my sword,” I lied. I stepped forward to stand beside my father.

 Carmilla would never allow me to do this. She would reason with me to have Marcus called for and to do this duty himself since this was his duty. She would assure me that there were other ways to convince the other hunters to follow me once I took over for my father. She would go so far as to offer to do this duty herself to save me from doing it. She would rather have this task staining her hands rather than my own. She would do and say anything so long as I did not do this myself, but she is not here. She has not been here for two months now. I must do this myself as I have been doing up to this point and soon it will be over. Soon I will be able to search for her, to search for Danny, and to bring them home to us.

My father pushed Theo to his knees. Theo’s bare back was to me as I watched him grip tightly to the chains. My father stepped over to me with the whip in his hand and held it out to me. I stared at the hilt of the whip. I do this because I have no other choice. If I wish to finally be free of Theo and to be able to spend some time, albeit secretly, in search of Carmilla and Danny this was the only way to do it. This was the only way for the hunters of this house both fully trained and new to finally see me as more than just my father’s daughter. It was the only way for them to see me as more than just a woman. This was the only way to the future I seek for my house and my people. This is the only way to receive everything I want including my right to decide who it was I was to marry. This was my only way to freedom.

I grabbed the whip in my hand and held it feeling the weight of this decision and the one to come dragging me to the ground. I lifted the whip and cracked it to feel the balance of it in my hand. This was the first and hopefully the last time in which I will have to hold this whip in my hand. I will not do this for a second time. I cracked the whip once more testing the balance of it again. I looked to Theo and took a deep steadying breath before parting my feet and balancing my stance to maneuver the whip easily. I glanced at his back and how clean it was. He was privileged and did not understand the meaning of hard work and dedication unlike myself. That was not the point of this punishment though. I will not punish him because of my hatred for having to call this man my fiancé. I will not punish him with the hate I have toward the idea of him simply existing in the same space as me. No. I must set aside my personal hatred. I do this because he does not understand what it means to care for another’s life. He does not know what it means to truly put your life into another’s hands and have theirs in return. He does not understand that without the person beside you there is no coming home. Then again how can he when he has killed countless innocent lives.

I pulled my wrist back and brought it forward. The whip lashed out and snapped against his skin creating a pink line across his back. He winced and yanked on the chains as his chest pushed forward from the pain. One down nineteen more to go. I repeated the action once more and then again and again becoming more fluid with my actions after each lash. Soon it was as if the whip was part of me and blood began to drip from his back. To his credit he did not cry out in pain. He merely gripped the chains tighter. I delivered the last whip to his back then stood straight lowering the whip to the ground. I stared at his back and saw the lashes I had created. Blood dripped down his back and I fought the urge to look away. If I looked away this would have all been for nothing. Yet looking at his back brought forth all of my own memories of kneeling in the same spot as him when I failed at a task. My own back burned from the scars that littered it from all of my punishments. My throat ached knowing the feeling of restraining my own screams of pain as to not give the satisfaction of looking weak in front of those who would see me come undone. They were bitter memories that myself and countless others of this house live with.

My father stepped forward and I was finally allowed to look away. I looked up into my father’s eyes and handed over the whip. He nodded his head slightly taking the whip from my grasp then ordered a few of his student’s to release Theo and to clean the area. I looked to Theo once more and watched as he fought against the two students to stand and walk on his own two feet. He would not be carried away to the infirmary. His pride was too great for that.

“Is there anything else you wish from me?” I asked my father.

“No. You may go get cleaned then eat. Your team will not be able to perform their duties for a while until Theo has healed as we find a replacement for Kirsch.”

“Understood.” I turned from him and walked with my head held high even though I wished for nothing more than to crumble within myself and allow for the tears to fall from having to do this.

Mattie held out my sword and waited as I tied it back to my hip. We walked away from this moment and made our way through the mansion to my bedroom. My father would not be disturbing me for the rest of the evening, so it was safe for Mattie to be in here with me. I closed the doors shut then made my way to my desk removing my sword along the way.

“Now we are forced to sit here longer why we wait for that poor excuse of a human being to heal enough for us to enact our plan,” Mattie said with no pretense to hide the vile in her tone. “It has been too long since Carmilla has left and we have no way of confirming that she is still alive.”

I shut the cabinet of my wardrobe that held my armor and sword. “I have more faith that Carmilla and Danny would have allowed themselves to have died so quickly. They both are too stubborn for that.”

“That may be true, but it has been two months since they have been gone. This plan of yours may have just gone to hell now that you had to punish Theo in that way. He will follow orders more easily now.”

I sat down in my chair feeling the exhaustion of the day settling in my bones. “On the contrary, it will make him more rebellious.”

“What makes you believe that?”

“Because his pride is wounded.” I stared at the disbelieving look on her face. “He was thoroughly embarrassed in front of twenty student hunters and ten hunters who had stopped their patrols in order to watch from the halls. This will make him fight my orders even more because he will be enraged by that and the fact that I was the one to deliver his punishment. If anything it has made it easier to do what we have to when we next leave for a mission.”

“Do you believe he will fall into a trap so easily?”

“I believe he will fall into it whether he prepares for it or not. He is not coming back with us alive.”

She gripped the headrest of the seat in front of her. “What of Carmilla?”

“What of her?”

“Do you honestly believe that her and that giant are still alive after all this time?”

“I know they are.” Danny is a werewolf and a hunter and Carmilla is one of the best hunters to exist in years. If anyone can survive a pack of werewolves for two months, I would place my bet on the two of them. Although Mattie does not know that Danny is a werewolf.

“Very well. When this matter with Theo is finally done, I want to be the first one out to try to find my sister.”

“I would not deny you that.”

She nodded her head. “Goodnight,” she said with finality.

“Goodnight.”

I listened to the sound of her footsteps fade from my room. I closed my eyes and sank lower into my seat. Only a bit more to go and things can go back to the way they had been before.

* * *

**_Carmilla_ **

I leapt over a fallen log and continued to sprint through the forest ducking and jumping weaving side to side through the trees in my way. A loud growl came from my right, but I ignored it in favor of increasing my speed. My lungs burned from the exertion, but I had to keep pushing. My body has sat for too long and it needs this. I need this. I need to feel as if I am useful. I need to feel as if I am strong. I need to feel that my body can still keep going. I need to feel as if I can continue to hunt. I just need to feel.

There was a loud growl in front of me and I moved to go right, pivoted then jumped left. Ell was quick in her wolf form. She blocked me off forcing me to finally stop. I placed my hands on my hips as I waited for Ell to transform. She stood in front of me with an icy glare in her eyes.

“I said you could go for a light run not a sprint,” she chastised.

I leveled her with an exasperated gaze. “I got bored.”  

She shook her head as she came over to me. She knelt down and began to push my pant leg up. “Yes well you failed to notice that your injuries had opened once again.”

I glanced down to see some blood coming from the part of my wound that had yet to heal. I pulled my shirt up to gaze at the wound on my stomach. “I did not notice,” I admitted.

She raised her head which was level with my stomach and surveyed my wound. She brought her fingers up to graze along the edges of the wound. “Yes well you are in luck. There is a hot spring near here that you can use to wash the dirt and sweat from your skin and wounds so they do not get infected.” She stood and began to walk in the direction of the hot spring. “Come now.”

I followed her making sure to keep a step of distance between us as we walked. We had shared many of our experiences with the world we have experienced so far and many small details of no concern such as the types of flowers she most loved or what part of day was her favorite and why as well as what my favorite smell was and what type of food was one that I could not keep myself from eating no matter how full my stomach became. Other times we would walk further and further than the week previously so long as I did not push myself too far due to my injuries. Those walks were done in silence and it was comfortable for us. There was no pressure nor need to fill the space with words and it was those walks that I was beginning to love more than the history lessons she would give me about herself and the people within her pack. At times she would educate me on werewolves all together, but those talks were done further away from the camp so as not to be overheard. Thankfully she never asked me for more than what I would tell her about my life as a hunter. As much as I was growing to trust her, teaching her about hunters was the last thing I will ever do. That was too close and something I only wished to share with other hunters.

Nonetheless, I found myself growing fonder of her the longer we stayed and the more time I spent with her. It was easy to converse with her. She did not ask for more than what I was willing to share. She took what I gave her and did not ask for anything of equal measure in return. In some cases, she was more than happy to carry the conversations. I learned that she was very creative in terms of creating stories for the children of the camp to listen to at night. Many times she would tell me the story first for my opinion before sitting down at the fire to then tell the children with more animation than when she did with me. I admit that those were my most treasured moments because I was afforded the luxury of watching her whole face come to life with her smile as she hugged the children to her and chased them around. I could surely lose myself in her smile if all I had to worry about was the next time I would get to see it and not about when my wounds will finally heal and I will be able to get back home.

To be truthful, the more time I spent with Ell the more I found myself not wanting to be pulled away. It is ridiculous to believe that I could be falling for such a woman in just two months, but considering that I fell for Laura within the first moment I laid eyes on her, it is not completely impossible. There is also the fact that all the time I have I spend with Ell either because she was the only one willing to associate with a hunter or because she may actually enjoy spending time with me. Either way, I was falling and it was becoming more difficult to fight the more time I spent with her and learned more about who she is and all of the little things she does that I have found endearing such as how she softly hums when she is mixing a new herb for medicine or how her fingers tap against her thighs as she listens to the music around the camp fire.

“The hot spring is just behind those rocks there,” she pointed out for me. She turned to me. “I shall be close by in case anything should happen.”

“Thank you.” I walked pass her and climbed over the rocks.

I looked back to see that she remained at the tree line with her back facing me. A part of me wanted her closer than that, but the other part knew that what I truly wanted was for her to join me. I cleared my head and dropped down further into the circle of rocks then hid myself behind a large boulder so I may rid myself of my clothes. I folded my clothes and placed them on top of a raised rock then lowered myself into the hot spring savoring the feel of the burning heat encompassing my body. The blood that had flowed free from my wounds swirled around the water then steadily disappeared within the water.

The water should have stung the parts of my wounds that had opened, but the water and the heat was more inviting than painful. I leaned my back against the stone ridge then brought my leg to my chest to run my hand over my wound to effectively rub the sweat and dirt from it as well as dislodge any blood that had dried on top of it. Once that was done I did the same for the wound on my stomach then submerged myself fully into the hot spring. I pushed myself to the bottom of the spring in the very middle and held my breath. I closed my eyes and concentrated on counting for how long I could hold my breath before my lungs screamed to be released of the pressure. Sooner than what I would have liked my lungs begged for release and I pushed myself back to the surface. I have sat and waited for my wounds to heal for far longer than I should have. If I was back home, then I would have been pushed to stay at my best at the cost of dying from an infection from my wounds.

“I can still smell you,” I called out.

“And here I thought I was getting better at masking my smell,” Danny’s voice answered from behind me where my clothes were located.

“It has become more overbearing and even though it is the smell of lavender, even that can be displeasing after so long.” I turned to see her sitting at the top of the biggest boulder.

“Matthew explained that it’s the way my wolf asserts her dominance.”

“Well tell her you will choke us all to death and to calm herself.”

She chuckled. “I may be able to transform at will now, but my wolf still refuses to listen to me.”

“Much like her counterpart,” I teased.

“Much like who I choose to spend my time with,” she threw back.

“Touché,” I conceded.

“Do you think Ell will allow you to spar with me today?”

I tilted my head back into the water and worked the water through my hair then moved to the ledge and pulled myself out of the water keeping my back toward her. “That will depend on whether or not I am still bleeding. I reopened parts of my wounds that had not healed fully yet.”

“Well maybe if you paid more attention to your body you would not have these issues.”

I listened as she slid off the boulder she was sat on then sat down behind me. “You know that is a very difficult task to do.”

 “Yes well it would save a lot of us trouble if you did.” She pulled my hair into her hands and began to braid it.

“What were you thinking of doing?”

“Just some sword work since I know you are probably losing your mind not being able to swing a sword for so long.”

“So long as it is not a full spar and just our basic techniques then I do not believe it would be too much trouble.”

“I would hope so. I need it as much as you do.” The fact of her being tired of working on controlling her wolf and falling more and more into the werewolf she is went unsaid. She was missing the familiarity of being a hunter and holding a weapon in her hand and depending on that to survive. She may be a werewolf, but she will always be a hunter.

I splashed my feet in the water. “I have to admit that I am feeling weak now since I have done nothing more than walk or jog. I was thinking about how if we were home I would have been pushed into training until I could no longer stand.”

“That is the difference between our home and here. Ell forces everyone to rest until she gives them permission to do anything while home forces us until the breaking point and more, but the other difference is that werewolves heal faster and have the added strength while we must push ourselves to keep up with even a fraction of the strength of what we hunt.”

“You are correct, but it is still unsettling.”

She tapped my shoulder to let me know she was done. “All we can do is what we can in the circumstances we are in.”

I stood and reached for my clothes pulling them on as she kept her back toward me. “When did you become so wise?”

She chuckled. “Being away from all the pressure can allow one to think about their situations in greater depth.”

I tapped her shoulder to inform her I was finished dressing. “Yes well at least one of us is able to think properly.”

She nodded her head. “Do not let yourself become too complacent.”

“Would never think of it.” I climbed over the rocks following her into the forest again.

Ell stepped out from around a tree and folded her hands behind her back. Her eyes took in my appearance. “Your hair looks lovely that way,” she complemented.

I attempted to fight back the heat beginning to flood into my cheeks. “Thank you.”

Her smile grew a bit more and I knew my attempts at stopping my blush had failed. We walked through the forest back toward camp without another word, but now I could feel the pull of my wounds with each step and breath I took. The possibility of Ell allowing me to do drills with Danny was looking smaller and smaller with each passing moment. I could not feel any more blood pooling, but that did not mean that some was not seeping out in small quantities. I clenched my jaw. I will do what I want no matter what.

We exited the forest and made our way back into camp. Danny began to verge over to the training grounds and I followed behind her until Ell’s hand clasped the crook of my elbow. I looked back at her pulling my arm out of her grasp frustrated. She folded her hand behind her back and narrowed her eyes at me commandingly.

“Where do you believe you are going?” She demanded.

“I am going to do some sword drills with Danny,” I answered challenging.

“I did not clear you for such an activity.”

“No, but I know the limits of my body better than you.”

She stood taller. “You are going to come back to my home and rest.”

I sighed knowing that fighting with her was not going to get me what I want. I calmly stepped into her space. “I need this Ell,” I said with honesty. “I need to feel like myself again and sitting and waiting for my wounds to heal is killing me inside. I cannot do this any longer.” I looked into her eyes and plead with my gaze. “Please. I need this.”

The commanding gaze in her eyes switched to one of concern. “Go,” she whispered.

“Thank you.” I turned to follow Danny where she stood with two swords, but turned back and kissed Ell on the cheek. “You do not know how much it means to me.”

She gave me a slight nod. “Find me after.”

I nodded my head then ran over to Danny who threw the sword at me. Unlike at our home, there were no wooden practice swords so we would have to take better precautions lest I acquire more injuries. I twirled the sword in my hand then took my stance in front of her. She took her own stance then lunged forward starting the first of our basic drills. My speed was not what it was before, but it will not be long until I am able to bring it back to normalcy. I jumped out of the way in time to avoid being cut by the sword then lunged back into the drill. We did a few drills repetitively and my speed increased the longer we practiced. Once we were done my body ached from the exertion and from having not been able to do more than just walk these past two months.

I walked over to set my sword down, but was knocked in my shoulder by another wolf. I looked up and glared when they did not apologize. Danny came to stand by my side and was gripping her sword until her knuckles where pale white. The wolf glared back at me and gave me a deep and threatening growl in challenge.

“Problem mutt?” I growled.

“Just wondering what trash is doing on our training grounds,” she snarled. Danny’s hand gripped my shoulder and she shook her head. The woman laughed. “Listen to your pet. At least one of you has a brain.”

I yanked my shoulder free of Danny as I stepped closer to the damn dog. “Say what you will to me, but you leave her out of it.”

“Or what?” She said getting in my face.

I reeled my head back then brought it forward to crash into her nose. “Or that,” I said in answer.

She howled then shifted into her wolf form. She leapt at me and thankfully I still had the sword in my hand. I stepped to the side at the last minute and brought the sword to cut along her right side. She growled then leapt at me once more. I pivoted on my good leg to turn to face her then ducked down lunging to the right and rolled away from her. She landed then quickly came at me once more. Unfortunately, she was not the only one. I heard the crunch of dirt from another wolf come up from behind me. I ducked in time to avoid her, but was too slow to twist my body out of the way of the second wolf. I was close to having the claws dig into my shoulder when Ell crashed into the wolf knocking them off course. I stood up watching as the girl who started this changed back and watched on as Ell tore away at the other wolf. Her teeth sunk into their flesh and she pulled away with a good chunk of their skin then continued to bite and claw at them. Once the wolf howled painfully Ell stalked away and transformed back.

“Are you alright?” Ell asked as she came to me and her frantically worried eyes searched me for injuries. Her hands came up to cup my face. They shook against my cheeks.

I brought a hand up to grasp her wrist. “I am fine.” I caressed the back of her hand soothingly. “I am fine.”

She nodded her head. For a moment I thought she was going to kiss me, but she blinked and turned away. “I have nothing against a fair fight, but try to tip the scales like that again and you will walk away missing more than just a piece of flesh,” she exclaimed angrily at the wolves surrounding the training ground. “If it is not clear enough that Alexandra was going to lose then know that had it gone longer she would have found a sword lodged in her chest.” Ell glared at the wolf who had started this mess. “Do not underestimate her simply because she is injured. She still has the capabilities to take one of you down without much trouble.” She let that settle within the group causing a few of them to flinch. She turned back to me. “Are you finished or would you like to continue?”

I looked around for a moment. I shrugged nonchalantly. “I suppose I have had enough fun for today.” I turned and walked over to where Danny stood. Danny looked to me briefly then set her sword down. I placed mine next to hers and she followed me.

“We have clearly over stayed our welcome,” Danny stated.

“It would seem so,” I answered. “We leave as soon as you finish your training.”

“I will do my best to have it handled by the end of the week.”

“Please do before I murder one of these mutts.”

Danny left my side as I continued to walk along as if what just happened held no significance to me. I smelled Ell behind me and wanted nothing more than to get away from her for just a moment. It is not because she stepped in to save me, it is because she allowed me to fight that dog by myself. She was more than willing to let me murder her to teach them all a lesson. She did not see me as defenseless or weak. On the contrary she knew I was more than able to bring down one of her own even while injured. It was unsettling because had it been Laura in her position she would have interjected long before I broke the dog’s nose. She would have protected me and forced me to back down even though I am fully capable of taking the dog down on my own. It is just one more thing I did not need to be fueling these emotions that have developed.

I turned into Ell’s home and began to peel off my clothes. There was a bath already drawn and Ell did not follow me in. I lowered myself into the bath watching as the blood that had seeped out once again from my wounds swirl around in the water. I need to leave. I need to leave before things become worse and I do end up killing one of these wolves. There is only so much that Ell can do for me and I know she has been protecting me, but if one of these wolves challenges me again I will put a sword through them. I only hope that our coming home will be a pleasant affair and not a death sentence. No one comes back from spending two months with wolves without having been turned into one as well. If we do not get killed before reaching the inside of the mansion, then we will surely be killed the moment we step through the gates. My only hope is that Laura can convince her father to at least put us through the trials before making any decision. At least then it will only be a few more scars added to my body as supposed to a gravestone.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. I just wish to be home.

* * *

 

**_Laura_ **

I stood by my window looking out at the moon and wondered if Carmilla was doing the same. I can only hope that Carmilla is still alive. I know Danny will be fine since she is a werewolf, but Carmilla is only one hunter. She cannot take on a pack of wolves by herself or even with the help of Danny. Carmilla is the most skilled of all of the hunters we have, but without her own weapons to help her there is little hope of her living for long. I only hope that Carmilla has held on for this long and continues to hold on until I am able to begin searching for her.

The creaking sound of my door opening caused me to glance over my shoulder to see JP standing at the doorway. “Is it done?” I looked away from the window to watch him.

He folded his hands in front of him and nodded his head. “The location has been determined as well as a date based on LaFontaine’s calculations of when Theo will be well enough to go on a mission once more.”

“And our friend?”

“They will be there so long as we overlook what happens to their sister.”

I nodded my head. “It is the price we have to pay for their cooperation, but a small part of me also understands the thought of not wanting to be alone either dead or alive.”

“They also wish to know if you will hunt them in the future after this favor.”

I crossed my arms and leaned against the window sill. “I should, but I will not be the one to kill them. So long as they do not come across my desk, I will not hunt them.”

He nodded his head. “I will inform them of such.”

I tapped my finger against my arm. “Do you believe Carmilla to be alive?”

“I know she is too stubborn to die.”

“But does that mean she is alive?”

“She is alive for as long as she has to be. Two months are nothing to her. If she has died by now I would be surprised.”

I nodded my head and looked out my window. “I only hope we are not too late.”

“It is only too late when we never see her again or bury her, besides that she is as alive as you and me,” he reassured.

“I hope you are right.”

He looked at me more compassionately. “So do I.”

I stood up. “You are dismissed. Thank you.”

“Yes milady.” He bowed then left my room.

I looked outside again. If Carmilla is still alive I will have to do everything within my power to force my father to put her and Danny through the trials instead of immediate death. As much as I want the both of them home, I know our laws. We kill them on sight especially since they have been gone for so long. That is just one more plan I will need to execute after this business with Theo, until then all my focus must be on Theo. Once he is gone, the guards that stayed with him will leave and the only ones I will need to deal with will be the guards that stayed for Mattie which is easy enough since Mattie is on my side. She will find a way to move them all to the day shifts allowing solely my house’s hunters to work at night which will be easy to slip by and allow my trusted hunters to slip through the walls to go in search of Carmilla and Danny.

I looked back up at the moon. I just want them both home. I just want to see Carmilla once more and feel her under my fingertips. I miss her achingly.

Soon.

 


	7. In The Dark

**_Carmilla_ **

I sat at the water's edge leaning back against the palm of my hands with my legs stretched out before me. I watched as the water steadily flowed south and listened to the sounds of the small water fall in the north. I closed my eyes briefly and thought of Laura. Was she well? Does she believe me dead? Is she searching for me? Will I ever return to her? Will she be waiting for me? Would she be willing to run away from it all so we could be together in peace? 

I opened my eyes slowly. No. She would never leave. Despite how we may feel about one another, her duty to our people and her sense of righteousness will never allow her to think that there may be a life outside of hunting. It is not as if this is the first time I have asked her for such a thing. I have gone so far as to offer to continue hunting, but under a different name in a different part of the country. I offered to take our friends and leave. To continue protecting humans, but to be able to freely express our love without fear of being murdered for those very affections. I have offered and have even found a part of the country that we could be helpful, but still she has said no. This is her home and she will not leave it. 

Yet she is doing what she can to change her home and her people. She is doing what she has to in order to obtain a future she foresees us being together openly in. She has a plan to change things so that we can all marry for love and not solely for duty. She wishes to open our doors once more to those willing to fight and die protecting others. She wants to do so many things, but I fear that we risk losing too many of our people in her crusade to change our way of life. It will not end with Theo being murdered and removed from the equation. It will not end with her father's passing. There are those within our house she must prove herself to or be forced to kill and there are all the others in the other houses that she must deal with it as well in order to achieve her goal. I fear that there may not be many of us left to fight the vampires and werewolves knocking at our doors at the end of it all, but she only sees the benefit of her actions and the justice of it. There are also many things she does not know of that she will need to put to rest before progress can be made.

I cannot change her mind nor have my alternative plans done anything to help her veer off this destructive path she is on, but I will follow her until the very end. I will follow her because it is my duty. But there is a time when she will have to face reality and I will have to accept it when it comes to our relationship.

I sat up at the smell of lavender and glanced over my shoulder to see Danny make her way over to me. “The scent is getting better.”

She hummed then sat down beside me. “It is taking longer than expected since I am attempting to do years’ worth of training in mere months.”

“I applaud you for being able to get so far in such a short amount of time then.”

She scoffed then shook her head. “Yes well I am just glad that we have not had any other issues with the other wolves in the training grounds.”

“I believe that has more to do with Ell’s influences than your own capability.”

She stretched her legs out crossing them at the ankles and leaned back on the palm of her hands. “I cannot deny that.”

I looked her over assessing for any new injuries that had yet to be healed. “How was your training today?”

“Better than yesterday. My wolf is beginning to trust in me more thanks to my sheer determination and strength of will, so it will be interesting to see how far I will be in a few days’ time.”

“Should I begin to prepare to go home?”

“Let us not get too ahead of ourselves.” She sat up and brought one of her legs up to her chest and leaned an arm on top of it. “I must confess that I do not want to leave here.”

I lowered myself down onto my elbows and continued to stare out at the water. “It is peaceful,” I supplied.

“It feels more like home to me than home does,” she admitted in a whisper.

I crossed my ankles taking a moment to let the words fully run through my mind. “We are your family, but so are they,” I began noticing the way her body stiffened. “They understand you better than we could ever begin to and they make you feel whole, as if you are one person and not two. It is here you are not Danny and your wolf. You are simply Danny and they do not demand you to be anything else.” I tapped my foot against the empty air. “You do not have to hide who you are here.”

She lowered her head to stare at the ground. “I will go back home and help Laura because that is my duty, but after I wish to come back here and live my life.”

I lay back on the ground and stared up at the tree leaves. “Will you continue to hunt?”

“Yes. I do not want to give that part of my life up, but I want to be able to live where there is no judgement nor do I have to worry that someone will disobey Laura’s orders and stab me to death in the middle of the night.”

I closed my eyes then folded my hands over my stomach. “There is a strong possibility that that may happen simply because you followed her and helped her to achieve her goals more so than because you are a werewolf.”

“You may be right, but at least it limits the options in case I have to come in and save you from certain death.”

“I doubt I will be facing certain death at any time.”

“When people learn that you are to marry their precious leader, they will be out for your blood.”

“They can try, but the last I checked, I was the best hunter in many years.”

“Even the mightiest can fall.”

 “Then lay me in a bed of roses and burn what is left of me before scattering me in the wind.”

“I will mention that request to Laura.”

“I am sure you will.”

“Do you wish to talk?” She asked concerned knowing full well I was out here to think.

“Not in particular.” I began to tap my fingers against my stomach. “Change of subject.”

I listened to the plop of water as something disturbed its surface. Another one sounded soon after and then there was silence once more. It was not long before there was a rustling of leaves on the ground and the scraping of the dirt to alert me that Danny was possibly shifting her position on the floor. Her elbow gently bumped mine before she cleared her throat and settled into her new position. There was just the sound of our breathing in the quiet of the morning.

This is one of the traits I like about my friendship with Danny. She allows me to not speak about things I do not wish to and when she has nothing else to say or ask, she is more than willing to sit in companionable silence. It was something we had started when I began to escort her over to the hidden dungeon in the forest on the nights she would change. There were many things I did not wish to speak to her about and there were many things that she did not wish to speak about. It was this reason that we disliked each other for so long and had hated one another from the beginning. Neither of us wanted to give each other an inch of acknowledgement nor respect. It took a year or two to start wanting to talk to each other about any subject, but there were still subjects that we did not wish to broach with one another. It was then that we started to fully see that these subjects were not because we did not want to share with one another, we just did not want to share with anyone let alone each other. We then found our system that worked where we will admit we did not want to talk about what was on our mind and ask for a change of subject, if there was none to be made, then we were comfortable with the silence that followed.

“You know for hunters you two spend a lot of time lying down,” Ell’s voice called from above us.

“There is no need to move when we know there is no threat to our lives unless you have changed your position on not tearing us limb from limb,” I answered while opening my eyes to peer up at her.

A small smile crossed her lips. “I find it troubling that you are so easy to trust me.”

“Trust? No, but you have given us no reason to believe you will harm us.” I pushed myself up onto my feet. “Although I am glad you trust us not to harm you.” I showed off the knife I had pulled out from my boot when I stood.

Her eyes widened at the sight of it. “I did not see you grab that.”

“Which is precisely why I find it endearing that you trust us.”

Ell looked from my knife to Danny who had sat up with a knife in her hand and although she looks like she would not be able to attack, she had her knife poised to be thrown and possibly another one waiting in her other boot. “We are always prepared for an attack,” Danny said as she then gathered herself up on her feet and stretched out her back.

Ell’s eyes traveled between the both of us before finally resting on me. “I cannot say I trust you, but I trust in your abilities to stay alive.”

I sheathed my knife back into my boot. “That is all I need for you to trust in, but I do not believe you are here to talk about this.”

She folded her hands behind her back. “You are correct about that. Matthew requests for Danny to return for training and I was wondering if you would want to train with me today.”

“That is fine with me,” I answered.

“I should get going then. Matthew does not like to wait long,” Danny said excusing herself. I watched as Danny shifted at will and took off into the woods.

I looked to Ell and smirked. “So what will I be beating you in today?”

She quirked her eyebrow up at me. “You do remember I am a werewolf correct?”

I shrugged and began walking. “That has not stopped me from beating all the others.”

“The others are not like me.” She fell into step next to me then began to walk faster to pull ahead.

“That may be true, but everyone does fall eventually.” I speed up my pace as well to match her. I smiled then got a running start back to camp.

“You cheat!” She yelled from behind me.

“There is no cheating when against a werewolf!” I called back.

She rushed past me in her wolf form and I picked up my speed even though I knew I was going to lose this match. Against her in her human form I may be able to win, but against her wolf form I have no chance. At least so far as a foot race is concerned. A fight is a different matter.

 

 

 

 

 

I swung the sword out of her hand then placed the tip of my sword to her neck. She took a step back with a drawn-out sigh. I twirled my sword then moved back to give her space to grab her sword from the ground for the tenth time since we began this sparring match. She was good with a sword, but it was no match for my skill. The only one able to match me evenly is my sister Mattie and that is because she was the one who taught me how to wield a sword in the first place. I looked down at the ground and fought against the growing pain in my chest. I had gotten used to not being able to see Mattie every day since the moment I left to serve at the House of Hollis, but I had reassured myself with the knowledge that I could always take time to go visit her whenever I so chose to. Now that is not possible. The longer Danny and I are here, the more unlikely it will be that we will be able to come home and not be murdered under the assumption that we had been turned into werewolves ourselves. More accurately, that I had recently been turned since they still do not know about Danny and the years she has lived under their roof as a werewolf.

The rocks on the ground crunched into the dirt and I snapped my head up to face Ell once again. There may not be a chance to go home after this and even if it is possible, there is the chance that we will not be able to go through the trials to prove we are still human because of how long we have been away. For now, I will concentrate on what each day brings.

Ell lunged at me sloppily with her sword as I listened to the heavy exhausted breaths she released with each swing. It is clear that she spends more time fighting in her wolf form than in her human one. If this were a battlefield I would be able to take her down swiftly now that she has exhausted herself. It also does not do her good that I have had her swinging her sword for well into the late afternoon sun for the specific reason of wearing out her stamina to make her more pliable to being overpowered. She struck at me again and I easily deflected her sword and stepped to the side bringing the hilt of my sword down onto her back as she perched forward with her messy movements. She stumbled then composed herself back onto her feet. She wiped at the sweat on her forehead with the back of her free hand. She began to walk a wide circle around me and I stayed in place following her movements with my own easy footwork matching her step for step. I watched her eyes calculate the best way to attack. I purposefully stumbled over my own foot to the left in order to give her a false hope of striking so that we may end this and she took the opportunity. I blocked her sword pulling her strike in close to my body so she may step into me then maneuvered my leg behind hers shoving against her shoulder and forcing her to trip over my leg and to land on her back in the dirt. The sword fell from her hand and she stayed on the ground panting.

She groaned frustrated with the loss for the eleventh time. She stretched her legs out so they were spread flat against the ground and moved her hands to rest on her stomach. Her breaths came in raggedly as the heat from the sun beat down on her. I moved over to her and sat down next to her resting my sword across my lap. I leaned back on the palms of my hands and kept my eyes on the people around us. I had not missed any of the wayward looks and looks of anger that had crossed the faces of many of those here training since we first began our sparring match. Ell had taken notice that I had my attention split from her to the people around me and had attempted to take advantage of it. I had to remind her with a particular hard hit that it is not as easy as she may believe it is to win against me since I have been trained to continuously be aware of my surroundings and to not lose a fight simply because my attention was split.

She huffed out her frustration then sat up and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She leaned back against the palm of her hands and looked over at me. “Be truthful. How many hours a day have you trained since you became a hunter?”

I smirked and stretched my arms up above my head to help relax my muscles. “Before I had gained the title of Hunter, I had to train from sunrise until sunset and at times for days without a second of rest in order to train my mental and emotional strength as much as my physical one. After I had been granted my title as Hunter, I trained from sunrise until sunset on days I had no responsibilities and either mornings or nights after my duties had been completed for the day. The only moments in which I did not train rigorously were days that we had a hunt.”

“Then in all fairness you have cheated me today,” she said sounding light hearted instead of furious as a smile crossed her lips.

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. “You are the werewolf in this match. I say that it was pretty even based on that.”

She shook her head. “Apparently, that is not enough.”

I sat up straight. “Now I ask for you to be honest with me. How much stronger are you in your wolf form than you are in your human one?”

She pulled the front of her shirt away from her body and shook it in order to get some cool air against her skin. “You must have heard some stories of my kind even though you have not actively fought against us because of the house you serve, but my strength in my wolf form is comparable to a vampire’s because I allow more of my animal instincts to take over. In my human form, I keep my wolf at bay in order to separate the wolf from the human so I may live as normally as a human as I possibly can even though others do not do the same. Although, my wolf does not like the fact that you have completely rendered me incapable of even standing and making me seem weak.”

“You do not use your wolf when fighting in human form?”

She shook her head. “No. It is part of my own personal discipline to not rely on my wolf for everything. If I am going to be in human form, then I will do everything to the limit of my human capacity because I still wish to feel like a human and not as the monster that others see me as.”

I reached out and pushed a strand of her hair that had fallen forward behind her ear. “We all have the potential to be and do monstrous things, but for what it may be worth, I do not see a monster when I look at you.”

She gave me a shy smile and looked down before pushing herself up to her feet. “I think a bath and some food is in order,” she said as a blush began to color her cheeks.

I moved my sword off my lap then stood as well. “Food would be best right now.” I sheathed my sword and she nodded her head before grabbing her practice sword off the floor in order to return it to its proper place.

“Follow me,” she said keeping her gaze off me.

I followed along beside her as she went to stow away her sword then began to lead me to the center of camp where food was made and kept for everyone to grab from. I folded my hands behind my back and walked close enough to her that our shoulders brushed against each other. The tension coiled up in her body seemed to melt away instantly as we made our way through the camp with all eyes on us.

I glanced at her through the corner of my eye to see the blush on her cheeks had darkened and was now more visible. I tightened the grasp of my hands against each other as I fought away the urge to kiss her cheek for how pretty and shy she was being at this moment. This was yet another side of her that has had my heart ache for me to take a leap with her, but the thought of Laura always stops me.

I looked away from Ell and to the ground.

It is in this moment that a conversation I had with Laura when we had first decided to act upon our mutual feelings comes to the forefront of this conflict waging a war inside me. It was Laura who had made it clear that there may not ever be the possibility for us to be together in the open. It was she who had told me that if we were to be caught, that her father would not hesitate to kill me and use me as an example for the rest of our people as to what is right and proper in this world and what abominations like myself deserve. She made it a point that I understood the risks of engaging in a relationship with her in secret. It was also her that had suggested that if either of us should find love with another, that there be no ill will if we decide to pursue a relationship with them. That there was always going to be an understanding that we may never have true happiness with each other and that we should not deny ourselves such a thing with another if the opportunity should provide itself. It was always her who brought up this known fact in our arrangement whenever we had stolen away a quiet moment to fully be happy and free in each other’s company and we dreaded the end and of having to go back to our duty and our act.

Laura has made it clear that all she wants is for me to be happy and that she knows that what we have is not fair to me and that I should not feel bound to it. She has always felt guilty and remains so.

I have never had cause to remember nor pay any mind to this stipulation in the relationship we have with each other until I came here to this camp and met Ell. There had been many beautiful women in the past who had garnered a small look of appreciation from me, but none that have actively made me want to be near them and know them as more than a beautiful face like Ell has. None other than Laura has been able to pull me in and wish to never leave at the first sight of them until Ell was in my line of vision. I have not felt myself falling for someone as quickly as I fell for Laura until I have spent time with Ell getting to know who she is and how she has come to be who she is.

There has been no one other than Laura until now.

In all honesty, I have always known that what I have with Laura would come to an end because she will leave me for someone her father has arranged for her to marry. I have always known that the reason why she suggested that clause at the beginning of our relationship is because she knew she would not always be able to be with me either in the open or in secret; that there will come a time she would have to end things with me because she had a duty to her people, love or not. I have also seen her own eyes stray to men her father would approve of her marrying and knew that even if she could never love them like she could a woman, she could still love them enough to have a content life. I have known this and it was during times that she would pull away from me that I was reminded that even if she did love me, she would never choose me and yet I have stayed.

I have stayed because I love her. I have stayed because her father had chosen Theo, a man who does not see women as capable of being as strong a hunter as a man, to be her future husband. I have stayed because she has needed me and because she has wanted me. I have stayed because she loves me and because she had created a plan that would rid herself of Theo and she needed my help in accomplishing the task. I have stayed for her, but I know that after Theo and after her father passes away either from old age or because of a hunt gone wrong, that I still will not be her choice because she will bend to the wishes of her people. I still will be only a secret who will be abandoned in the end and the worst part is that she cannot see that this is what will happen to us because she is too focused on the change she wants to inflict upon her people that she still does not know of the pattern she continues to fall into.

Yet even with the knowledge that I will eventually be tossed away, I do not want it to be true.

I sat down on one of the logs surrounding the fire pit in the middle and watched as Ell went to grab us both a plate of fresh food. I watched as she laughed and played with the children as she waited her turn in line. She had a childlike wonder to her that the children brought out with their laughter and games as she would leave the line to chase after them before resuming her spot once more. She looked up and met my eyes with a smile that ceased my ability to breathe.

“You should stop over thinking and let yourself feel,” Danny whispered startling me out of the spell I was under because of Ell.

“I do not know to what you are speaking of,” I deflected.                                                                                              

Danny looked to Ell. “I am sure you do not, but the advice still stands.” I made to get up and move, but she grabbed my shoulder and kept me in place. “You cannot continue to be unhappy based on the fact that you love someone who can never choose you nor ever will.” Danny looked over to Ell drawing my attention to her and seeing that she now has a child sitting on her shoulders and the child’s doll resting on her head. “Especially when there is someone who will and has already done so.” Danny stared at me with sympathetic, but hopeful eyes. “There is no wrong choice, but the one that will fill you with the most regret and sorrow. There is also no shame in wanting to be selfish and wanting to be who you are without judgement or fear. If you believe you can be happier with one more than the other, then it is time you stop hesitating and make a decision that will fill your heart the way it should be filled.” She let go of my shoulder then walked away to sit by Matthew on a log across from my own seat on the other side of the fire pit.

“What did she want?” Ell questioned as she came over with our food and the child still perched on her shoulders.

I took both plates from her as she lowered the child onto her lap. “Nothing. She only wanted to inform me that she was almost finished for the day.”

She took her plate from me and set upon eating and sharing the large quantity of food piled onto it. “Alright. Do you wish to bathe first when we get back to my home?”

“No. You can go ahead. I am sure your day is not finished yet.”

“No. Unfortunately it is not.”

I marveled at her shy smile then looked away in order to eat my meal as I did my best not to pay any mind to the way her shoulder leaned into mine and how her knee rested against my own as we ate. I tried not to acknowledge how we both unconsciously sought a way to touch the other in the moments that we spent together. My resolve was weakening and I only want her more.

* * *

 

**_Laura_ **

I wiped at the blood pooling on my bottom lip then got back into my defensive position against Mattie. She asked me this morning to spar with her which as it has come to my awareness was in truth a way for her to take her frustrations out on me without seeming as if she was doing it out of anger. I blocked her next wave of fists and ducked down then leapt into a roll to my right as her leg came out to connect against my side. I hopped back onto my feet in time to dodge her next combination of punches and kicks. A few did connect with my left side as I patiently waited for the opportunity to end this match in one move. My opportunity finally came when she revealed her right side to me after putting too much reach into her swing. I slammed my fist into her rib cage then got my arm wrapped around her waist, my leg behind hers, and then lifted her up and over my leg twisting my body to bring her down hard on her front then straddling her back and getting her head in a headlock. She struggled with me digging her nails into my forearm trying to pull my grip away from her neck, but was unsuccessful. She eventually tapped my arm to signal she had given up.

I released her neck then stood up huffing as I tried to catch my breath from over exerting myself against her. She stood up and braced herself against her knees as she bowed her head trying to catch her breath since I almost choked her into unconsciousness. She stood up to her full height and rubbed at her neck to massage away the pressure I had placed there as she glared at me. I swiped my tongue over my bottom lip tasting the copper and salt mix of my sweat and blood still seeping from my split lip.

I looked away from her and walked off the training floor to put my shoes back on and shed my sweat soaked shirt. She padded her way over to me and began to do the same. I looked around us and saw that there was no one around at the moment since the guards had passed not long before hand during our match. There also was no one up and roaming around tonight since this was a rare day in which everyone got to rest before heading into another full week of never ending training.

“I cannot do anything about Theo not wanting to go out on another mission, so I apologize if it is angering you,” I whispered.

She stood up and began to stretch out her body. “It angers me that it has been three weeks since he was injured and I am stuck here while my sister is still out there somewhere looking more dead than alive since she has not returned.”

“She is not dead.”

She glared at me seethingly and balled her hands into fists. “How can you be so sure?”

I held her gaze trying to convey the message to her to remain calm. “Trust me when I say she is alive.” I have thought about telling Mattie about Danny being a werewolf and that being the reason why I believe that they are still alive countless of times, but I have decided that it was best that I did not. Carmilla may love and trust her sister endlessly, but I cannot put that sort of information in her hands to do with as she pleases.

She looked away and continued to stretch. “Theo has been sending messages out to his father if you have not noticed by now.”

“I have and I have handled the situation.”

“Meaning?”

I cast my eyes around us to ensure that we continued to be alone. “That I know of what he writes to his father. I can give you more information if you meet me in the library later tonight. JP is patrolling that side of the house this evening, so you will have no trouble when you reach that end.”

“Is it anything to be concerned about?”

“Not to our full attention, but there is cause to have some worry if our plan should fail.”

“Then I shall see you tonight.” She stood to full attention then strode away to her bedroom.

I looked about once more satisfied, yet perturbed, at the silence wondering where the patrols had gone and why they had not made it back to this point in their patrols. I took note of the fact for a later time. I gathered my belongings up into my hands and made my way to my own bed chamber for a bath and to collect the copies of the letters that I had made of Theo’s letters. It was a task to have JP and Kirsch take turns at following Theo’s messenger into the woods to wait for him to stop and rest due to feeling tired. I can be thankful to LaFontaine for creating a sleeping drought that forces its drinker to fall asleep and remain so at the loudest of noises to be made. Of course, I am not heartless in that I would leave the messenger defenseless in such a state, so Kirsch and JP would stay hidden and protect him until he woke then made their way back to the house to report to me with the copy of the letter.

I cast my eyes about the house as I walked the corridor in my return to my bed chamber to bathe and change into a clean set of clothing before my meeting with Mattie in the late hours of the night. The patrols were not in sight when they were meant to be part way through this particular corridor at this very minute. I tucked my belongings under one arm as I gripped the hilt of my sword with my now free hand. The silence that followed the echo of my boots against the stone crept into my body as my senses heightened, preparing to spring into action at a moment’s notice. There was the scuffling of boots on stone that sounded behind me and I used the glass of one of the light torches to glance behind me in order to determine who or what was happening behind me. I looked ahead of me as I gazed at the silhouette of two guards behind me when they are meant to be in front of me during the patrol of this area.

“Ma’am!” Kirsch called from ahead of me. He walked to where I was then fell into step with me.

“What is it?”

“I was told to inform you of the new patrol routes starting this evening and that will progress into the future until another time when a change is to be made.”

“Where did the order to change the routes come from?”

“Your father. He established it before the next guards took their posts.”

“Was there a reason given for the change at such late notice?”

“He said that it was in our best interest to change our guards’ rotations now that information about the way in which our house operates have fallen into the wrong hands.”

“Why now and not before?”

Kirsch removed a scroll from the pocket within the coat he wore and handed it to me. “He wished me to give this to you. It explains his decision.”

I tucked the scroll into the waist line of my trousers to be read later. “Is there anything else that needs my attention?”

“No. it was only this information that was asked of me to deliver. If you do not mind my accompanying you to your room, I wish to join you in the walk.” His eyes looked ahead of us as his hand shifted his sword on his hip. He also ran his thumb along his waist before relaxing at his side to warn me that there was more to be said and that he did not trust the men behind us.

“I do not mind.”

We walked in companionable silence to my bed chamber with both our hands clenched around the hilts of our swords waiting for the moment we would have to draw them. There was something else that Kirsch needed to discuss with me that could not be shared in the public space of the corridor lest someone catch wind of it and report it back to my father, or in this present time, Theo. Our footsteps echoed off the stone in synch with one another making it possible to hear a disturbance in the rhythm if someone were to come to disturb us.

Once we arrived at my bed chambers, he sat in the chair in front of my desk as I placed my belongings in a basket to be taken to be washed later this week. I sat down behind my desk then opened the scroll to read the message my father had sent me about the change in the patrol patterns. In simple terms, he was being pressured to do so because even though the werewolves did not return the bodies of Carmilla and Danny, for he presumed them to be dead at this point in time, the knowledge of the inner workings of our home was in the hands of undesirables regardless if Carmilla and Danny gave them information about us or not. The other houses were forcing him to move forward and to prepare a funeral for them both in the coming week. He had hoped that they were healthy and that they would return because of our relations with the werewolves in this part of the country, but because it has been close to three months at this point in time, there was no reason to believe them to still be alive in which case they deserved the fate they received for what they had to do in the perspective of the werewolves. At the current moment, he is doing what he can to hold back a few of our houses from going on a hunt for the werewolves in vengeance when the werewolves were not in the wrong for they never said that they will return Carmilla and Danny to us on a specific date. They had only said they would return the both of them when they had completed the trials the werewolves had planned for them. This is also the reason as to why I have not lost hope. The werewolves in this area do their best to uphold their word when given both publicly and privately.

They have never given us cause to question nor doubt their word, but when pressured by the other houses, it was an understandable concession to move forward under the assumption that the werewolves are not planning to return Carmilla and Danny to us. My father also explained that my wedding will be moved to the end of next month in order to appease everyone much to my dismay. It is no wonder Theo has been relaying messages to his father so frequently this month. He believes to have accomplished a great feat in receiving my father’s blessing for a wedding on such short notice. It is unfortunate that he will meet with such a great tragedy beforehand.

I stood up to deposit the scroll in the fire place located on the wall directly across from the foot of my bed. “What is your order of business?”

“JP is no longer on patrol for the early hours of the morning. He has been moved to the wall, but I have been ordered to take his place. As you know the route has been altered so I will be descending from the opposite direction from normal.”

“Are there any other changes to the routes?”

“Many of the usual hunters have been replaced and reassigned to other sections of the patrol in order to limit the possibility of someone being influenced to allow intruders into our home.”

I sat down at my desk. “Yes well, I have a meeting with Mattie in the early hours of tomorrow to discuss the copies of the letters you and JP had acquired for me from Theo’s messengers.”

“I will keep my eyes and ears peeled for any abnormalities while you have your meeting.”

“Thank you. Is there nothing else?”

“A message from our friends who will be helping us with Theo, once he decides to join us for another hunt, ask when that hunt will take place because they have done their part.”

I nodded my head and retrieved the new order from my father that I had received from him this morning. “I have the order for the hunt here. Inform them that they can be expecting us at the end of the week.”

“How will you convince Theo to join us on our hunt?”

“I do not have to convince him to join us on our hunt. I only need to goad him into doing so by striking at his pride. He does not like to be spoken to by a woman much less seen as less than one. He will be mobile by the end of the week.”

“Do you believe he may know what we have been doing or what we have planned?”

“If he did, he would be pushing for my wedding to be at the end of this week and not next month in order to ensure his position before assassinating me.”

“He plans to marry you next month?”

“Indeed, but it will not come to that. We will dispose of him before hand.”

“Yes.”

“Is there anything more?”

He stood up and straightened out his shirt. “No. I shall see you in the early hours.”

“Be careful.”

“I shall.”

He exited my bed chambers then my handmaidens entered with the pitchers of water for my bath tub in the corner. They placed them on the fire to warm and I read over the order to go on a hunt by the end of next week. It discusses the presence of one new vampire wreaking havoc in the nearby town and that our services are needed in order to eliminate the threat in order to restore peace. It provides an approximate location as to where this vampire lives and the hours of when the vampire appears based on the hours in which reports were filed about the appearances. I ran my fingers through my hair then placed the paper back in its place on my desk. One task at a time. For now, I inform Mattie of the situation with Theo then move forward to enacting my plan to be rid of him.

 

 

 

 

 

I stood in the dark of the library awaiting Mattie’s appearance as the sound of heavy footsteps sounded outside the doors. There was a light tap on the door as the footsteps continued down the corridor. Kirsch was notifying me that he was making his way pass once again. It was a few moments later that the door to the library was pushed open with a soft click and the creek of the wood. I looked up to see Mattie slip into the room shutting the door as quietly as possible behind her. She glanced at the door then made her way to me.

“It was kind of you to have JP inform me about the change in patrol on his way to the wall,” she whispered.

“I knew my father would not send ample notification to all within the walls of this house. He is a cautious person and therefore I will not be surprised if in the next few hours there were a line of people awaiting their punishment for having been caught wandering the house with no probable cause.”

“Yes I do foresee our morning being filled with the boredom of watching the punishments be dulled out to those unfortunate souls.”

“Indeed, but that is not why we are here.”

“Yes. Please do tell me what it is that Theo has been writing to his father and how you procured this information.”

“LaFontaine has altered an elixir that places the drinker into a deep sleep without knowledge that they are in one. Once asleep, the drinker is unaware of all that is happening around them. With this, I was able to send out my own people to copy the messages onto another scroll then return it to me once the messenger had woken from their sleep.”

I could see the devilish smile pulling at the corners of her lips. “You are a devious one.”

“Never judge someone lest you be judged.”

“Indeed. Now what did the messages say?”

“Theo is planning to have me murdered after our wedding in a way that it can be deemed an accident by all those who may come to investigate.”

“How is this not grave news?”

“He does not know of our plan and I have gotten the order to go on a hunt from my father in the early morning of the day previous.”

“He may not know of our plan, but he may act rashly and attack ahead of time.”

“There will be no reason for him to do so. In the message about the change in patrols that my father had sent me earlier, it stated that my wedding will be held at the end of next month.”

“That is impossibly too soon.”

“It is, but that means that Theo has no choice but to wait for next month no matter how irksome I may become in the days leading up.”

“And you will prod at his pride in order to get him to join us on the hunt in order to enact our own plan,” she mused knowingly.

“It will not take much to force him into the corner we built, but once there, things will go as planned.”

“And with my presence in your group, it will throw off any suspicion of foul play because I have privately spoken of my distain towards you to all of the heads of house and their heirs as well as made public note of it.”

“There may still be some suspicion thrown on us because of the nature of the news I received and the time in which Theo is pronounced dead at the end of the week, but as you said, it will not last long because of the outward and private persona of hatred you have of me to the other houses.”

“When will we be enacting this plan of yours?”

“I will be able to have him riled up and ready to prove himself by the end of the week. I have already ordered for word to be sent to our conspirators so they may prepare themselves.”

“If this should fail then where does that leave us?”

“You will be able to go back home if you so choose while I play the dotting wife until he attempts his own plan of assassination and we can expose him for it.”

“In which case any information my people that I shall leave here have gathered during that period will be evidence enough to incite chants of the death penalty whether our people wish for you to lead us or not.”

“Precisely.”

She folded her hands in front of her. “You do your part so that I may search for my sister and you will have my family’s full support in the future.”

“Thank you. This will have to be executed perfectly. For all our sakes.”

There was no need to mention Carmilla and Danny because it was implied when speaking of this plan and of Mattie’s involvement. Although Carmilla and Danny are important to me and I do wish for their return dearly, this plan was foremost for the eradication of Theo so he may not obtain power of all of the houses and do as he pleases. This plan was made with Carmilla and Danny to ensure the safety of our people and to make sure that Theo did not strip women of their titles or skills as warriors. It was to allow for us to continue to take in outsiders and train them to be hunters so that we do not cease to exist. It was for us to gain answers as to where those bitten but not turned by vampires had disappeared to since his family was witnessed as having to do with the disappearances. This basis does not change aside from Mattie going on a wide search to primarily find Carmilla, but to bring both Carmilla and Danny back if they are still together and alive.

Now to convince Theo to go on the hunt.

 


	8. Revelations

**_Laura_ **

I waltzed down the corridor to Theo's temporary room and pushed the doors open without knocking to announce my presence first. Theo's head snapped up from the letter he was writing and he quickly got up and began to rearrange objects on his desk to hide the letter from my sight. He placed his quill down then stood as tall as possible glaring at me angrily. 

"An announcement would have been proper."

I walked into the room shutting the doors closed behind me then began to walk around the once familiar room. "Does it matter since I am your finance and will soon be your wife at the end of next month?" I asked sweetly. 

He clenched his jaw then tilted his head to the side. "No I suppose not." He moved away from his desk when I took a step closer to him and he attempted to block my way. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" 

I took a step to the side and watched as he tried to not block me lest he seem more suspicious than he currently does at the moment. "I came because we have an order to go on a hunt in Cherry Hill Village." 

“I am not healed enough to go on a hunt," he rebutted. 

"And yet you have been released from medical care by LaFontaine because you have been deemed fit enough to return to your duties." 

"I am going to have my own physician evaluate me and determine whether or not I am completely healed enough." 

I stopped at a bookcase near his desk and watched as he stiffened. "What are you afraid of?" 

"I am not afraid of anything," he snapped. 

I leaned back against the bookcase and crossed my arms. "Oh? Well your current state makes people believe in the contrary." 

He released his hands from behind his back. "I am not afraid. I merely do not want to injure myself further." 

I sighed. "To think that everyone in this house has seen me go on hunts with my shoulder out of its proper place, whip lashes from my father open and bleeding on my back, and a broken wrist, but you cannot seem to leave because your pride is wounded." 

"My pride is not wounded!" He shouted pointing his finger at me. 

I quirked an eyebrow up at his outburst. "If it is not your pride then it is because you are weak." I stood up and let my arms rest down at my sides. "You bite at my ankles trying to gain the power and authority that I have earned and has been given to me because of my strength and capabilities. You have nothing and will never have anything. That is why you are forcing our wedding to an earlier date. You cannot lead nor can you ever garner the power and authority you want unless you share it with someone in a higher position than you. You are inadequate and you refusing to go on this hunt because of injuries that have been deemed as healed only proves that you are frail and a coward." 

He got in my face seething with anger. "I am not a coward!" 

"Then prove it!" 

I felt his fury rolling like waves off of him. "Let me know when we are to leave." 

"The end of this week. Be prepared by then." I stepped away knowing full well that I held all the power to back down first. "Do not go back on your word or the people will see your cowardice." 

"I will not give you the satisfaction." 

"I would be pleased if you did." I exited his room shutting the door firmly behind me then made the trip back to my bed chamber. 

Mattie was stood at my window when I opened my doors. She turned to acknowledge my presence then continued to look away. I went to stand by her and leaned against the window. We stood there in silence and watched as the patrol walked below my window. 

"Did he take the bait?" 

"He did. It did not take much to touch on his insecurities."

"So we are able to continue with our plan at the end of this week?" 

"Yes. Everyone is already informed of what the plan is for this hunt."

"Do we need to go over the plan again?" 

"No. This plan has been in motion for a long time. The only difference is you instead of Carmilla and JP instead of Danny." 

"How were you able to convince your father to allow you to bring JP with us when he has not finished his training and is at the bottom of his class?" 

"It is because he is at the bottom of his class that I was able to convince my father to allow me to take JP. I proposed that JP be the first of this new class to be used for an experiment in forcing them to see the consequences of their poor performance during a real hunt if they do not put in more effort to improve. Of course, I made the stipulation that every recruit that is at the bottom of the class must accompany a team that has an impeccable record of brining everyone home safely and with minimal injuries."

"And he believed you?" 

"Not at first, but after I explained that the recruits will rotate to other teams to see how each team operates and to gain experience with working with people who are not in their class since they will be joining other teams after they have completed their training, he was more willing to allow me to take JP."

"You are aware that this will mean that you will now have to begin taking new recruits with you?"

"It depends on how my father determines this hunt. If he deems it a success, then it will be good experience for the recruits to have. If he deems it as a loss, then we will not have to deal with any of the recruits."

"You win either way because you have no issue with the results."

"No I do not." 

A heavy silence fell between us until she tapped the glass with her finger then turned away. "This plan will happen?"

"Yes."

"Is there any chance that it will fail?" 

"No. I have planned it meticulously. There is no way for it to fail especially now that I have you on the team."

She nodded her head. "The word of an enemy." 

"Is stronger than one of a friend," I finished. 

She clasped her hands in front of her. "What about my order to search for Carmilla and the tall one?" 

"I have it written and ready to be signed. I will give it to my father when the time comes." 

"Thank you." She rolled her hands flicking her wrists then turned to leave. "I shall see you at the end of the week."

"Be careful."

"When am I not?" She peeked her head around the corner of my door before slipping out. 

I opened the drawer on my desk and removed the order that will allow Mattie to search for Carmilla and Danny during the morning period. It is our custom to allow everyone to mourn how they so choose during the two weeks of mourning after a funeral. It gives everyone the opportunity to be with family and to grieve the memory of the one that was lost or those lost prior. The reason for this is because there had been recorded instances in our history where hunters were too stricken with their grief to perform properly directly after a funeral and that it hindered their emotional state to make the best decision for not only themselves, but for those who went on hunts with them. In these instances, the worst catastrophes of our people had happened where a quarter to half of our fighting force were wiped out. It was after we had lost seventy-five percent of our fighters in a massacre led by vampires, that we began to establish a mourning period. It had first begun as three days, but it eventually lengthened to be two weeks because that was shown to be a long enough time to allow everyone’s initial emotions to calm down and for them to begin to think rationally. The only stipulation to this is that any crimes committed during this period will still be upheld once everyone returns and we return to normal operations. 

I stared at Carmilla's name on the document. Not long now. 

 

 

 

 

 

The grass was slick as we ran along it to the area that we had set our trap in. Theo and Mattie were forcing the vampire on the path that we had established using their arrows while Kirsch flanked the left side and I flanked the right. JP was waiting with his own bow and arrow in the clearing waiting for us to get in range so he may launch his own attack to keep the vampire in the clearing long enough for all of us to circle around him and launch a full attack. 

The plan was for JP to let loose an arrow to strike the vampire in his shoulder in order to slow him down enough for the rest of us to catch up to him. After incapacitating him, we will surround him and use the small smoke bombs that LaFontaine has developed for us to use in order to eliminate his ability to see. This will allow us to surround him and begin to attack with our swords to be able to cut him down. Kirsch and I will be the ones to attack with our blades first followed by JP and Theo. Mattie will remain on the outside in order to shoot him down if he is able to escape our blades and the smoke screen. Her job is to keep him within this area because it is obscure enough to not be seen as well as being far enough so no one will be able to wander over because of what they hear.

I glanced ahead of me to see the small red mark I had made on the tree trunk to indicate that we were thirty steps away from our target point. I began to merge closer to the vampire and waited as we finally broke through into the clearing. The arrow from JP soared straight into the vampire’s shoulder while Mattie and Theo began to toss the smoke bombs in order to create our smoke screen. Kirsch and I caught up to the vampire and began to circle him and slash near vital areas so it looks as if we were tearing him apart when in reality we were trying not to injure him. JP joined us along with Theo. JP swung his sword, but his precision was so fine that he pulled back his swings by a hair and never once sliced into the vampire, not even his clothing. JP only looked to be helping with breaking the vampire down. Theo was the only one truly attacking the vampire with the intent to eliminate him from this land which is what we wanted.

Theo’s blade was slicing into the vampire who was able to dodge as best as possible to limit the damage being done to him as he knew that Kirsch and I had restrained from cutting into him after Theo had joined us. We moved around Theo since he refuses to take us into consideration and has no qualms with his blade digging into our flesh and drawing blood. For Theo, it was about taking down the vampire at any cost whether his team died or not. The punishment he received from me last month did nothing to bury this character flaw which in truth me calling him a coward and weak earlier this week must not have helped with him improving his behavior and thinking more logically as well as for the care of others.

I ducked down under one of Theo’s broad swings and cut into the back of the vampire’s knee causing him to fall down to his knees. It was then that I felt Mattie’s presence around the edge of the smoke screen that she had reignited. I was able to see Kirsch being pushed down by Mattie by the shoulder then heard the whistling of an arrow cutting through the air above my head. The thud sound that followed as the arrow lodged itself into a solid surface swam in my ear along with the sound of an object finding a new home on the damp ground. I gazed up through the smoke to see Theo reach up and brush his fingertips against the arrow that rested within his chest. He stumbled back out of the smoke then fell onto his back. His hand clutched at the wound doing his best not to disturb the arrow that I could now see was thread halfway through him.

I got to my feet and sheathed my sword at my waist before stalking over to where he lay. JP came to my side as Mattie and Kirsch helped the vampire to his feet. I knelt down beside Theo and watched as he lifted his head to see Mattie and Kirsch aiding the vampire that I was able to make a deal with to be a part of this plan. Theo thwacked his head back against the grass and began to laugh as I heard an unfamiliar voice begin to whisper behind me. I peered over my shoulder to see a woman pulling the arm of the vampire over her shoulder and support his weight. This must be the sister that was part of the deal we had made.

I had borne witness to the male vampire being bitten and kept track of him as he turned. He was a gentle soul before being turned and this had carried on after which is why Carmilla had chosen him as the one to be able to aid us in our plan against Theo. His main request for the deal that we had made was that he be allowed to turn his sister and keep her name off our list because he was all she had in life since their parents and younger brother had passed away from an illness that had descended upon the village. His other request was that they not be hunted down and be allowed to live their lives freely. I was hesitant to accept the deal, but Carmilla had faith. She had made the deal under the conditions that he not turn his sister unless she had willingly chosen to do so and that there can be no guarantee that they will not be hunted if they made themselves known and were murdering humans when they fed. She made it clear that there were limited resources we could exploit in order to keep their existence hidden, but that they will have to restrain themselves or move away from this area in order to live their life peaceful. He gave no lengthy thought to the deal and agreed to it with his only input being that this was the most he was going to be able to receive from us given the circumstances.

“Thank you Abraham and Elizabeth,” I said graciously to the two vampires.

Abraham winced as Elizabeth pulled him tighter against her. Both of them wore equal looks of painfully restrained hunger. “You have gotten what you wanted from us. Now we shall take our leave and trust you to uphold your end of our deal,” Abraham said.

“Of course. May you two find a home.”

He bowed his head and she nodded hers. “Thank you.”

“You are most welcome.” They took their leave from us as I brought my attention back to Theo.

“Clever,” He commented as more blood seeped from the wound in his chest.

“Yes well I have a few questions for you.”

He coughed then smiled. “What joy.”

I overlook his sarcasm. “What happened to those humans that were bitten, but were never turned?”

“What information do you have that will suggest that accusation?”

“Multiple eye witnesses who have seen you and others from your house with those people before they disappeared.”

“Yes well, eye witnesses can be tricky. Easily paid off to say anything for the right amount.”

I reached out and pressed down on his hand that was still holding at his wound and he gritted his teeth in agony. “Fine. Yes. Myself and others from my house took them.”

“Why did you murder them when they were still human?”

He coughed, but this time it was followed by blood exiting his mouth. “I did not kill them.”

“Then who did?”

“What makes you believe that they are dead?”

“I have seen the tombstones within the graveyards with their names on it that you paid for anonymously.”

“That does not mean there is a body there to be mourned.”

I removed his hand from his wound and jammed my finger into it causing the arrow to shift and for him to yell out. “I do not like to be played with,” I warned.

He slammed his head against the dampened grass and glared at me fiercely. “There are no bodies in those graves.” He had a coughing fit full of blood indicating that there was more blood seeping into his lungs and there was a limited amount of time left before he drowned in it. 

“Then where are they?”

“I do not know. I was only told to pick them up and deliver them.”

“Where and who did you deliver them to?”

He smiled then laughed smugly before another round of coughing up blood presumed. “Ask your father. He was there when I made the deliveries.”

“What do you mean?”

He only smiled wider revealing his blood-stained teeth as a greater amount of blood leaked out of his wound and watered his speech. “Ask him.” He laughed causing himself to bleed out more and to force more blood into his throat where he began to choke on it.

I removed my finger from his wound. “No. You will tell me what you know!” I shook his body as he began to gasp for air. “Tell me what my father has to do with any of this!” Blood fell from the corners of his mouth as his eyes stared emptily at the sky above. “Tell me!” I shook his body violently to get him to say another word.

A hand squeezed my shoulder. “He is gone m’lady,” JP spoke softly.

I shook Theo’s body once more. “Impossible.”

“He is quite dead dear,” Mattie said tiredly.

I looked to her with eyes full of fury. “I am aware that he is dead. It is his comment about my father that is impossible.”

“Of course it is. Little Theo was always finding ways to garner power from others in any way possible. His confession only serves to irk you and to have the last remaining bit of power over you since he cannot answer back. He knew that implicating your father would drive you mad, but what he said is not true. Your father may be fearsome, but he is no murderer without a cause.”

I frowned down at Theo’s body then stood up. “Whatever may be the case, we need to begin our trek back to the mansion before his body becomes too cold to be believable.”

“And that is why these two gentlemen are going to run with his body until a point where it will be believable that we lost his poor soul during the journey back.”

I looked from JP to Kirsch. “Can you two handle it?”  

“Of course ma’am,” Kirsch answered.

“Then do it,” I ordered. Kirsch and JP moved to lift the body then began to run as best they could with the body between them towards the horses we had stowed away a league from here to the west.

“Everything shall fall into place,” Mattie commented as she began to follow the two men to the horses.

I looked down to the blood on my hand. “We shall see.”

* * *

**_Carmilla_ **

I rotated my wrist forcing the sword in my hand to create an arch in the air as I stepped sideways to keep Danny within my sights. She kept her eyes focused on me occasionally flicking her gaze to what was around us like I was doing. All eyes were on us as we danced in a circle waiting for one of us to attack first in this round of our sparring session. She had approached me last night requesting that we spar so she may practice slowly allowing her werewolf strength to blend into her human form and to see how long she could maintain it because that is what she has been practicing with Matthew this week and was a subject that she struggled with back home.

She had always had trouble with either forcing her werewolf strength into her human form in order to better aid us in our hunts of more notorious vampires while on the other side of the coin, she had difficulty pushing it away when she needed to as she sparred with the other hunters during training hours. She had to learn the difference of when she was fully human and when she was using her werewolf abilities then learn how to hold back her strength and the speed of her movements so she would not be discovered. It made for long nights of extra training to help her with learning to do all of that to the point that we would collapse from sheer exhaustion of the long hours then force ourselves up to continue with our day-to-day routine within the house lest we draw unwanted attention to ourselves. It was a long year of none of us obtaining the proper amount of sleep in order to be properly functional, but it was worth it when she had perfected it in order to be perceived as human in front of the other hunters. When we went on hunts, she was able to be free with her movements which became a saving grace in plenty of dire situations. Now it is good that she is learning to control when and how to bring out her werewolf strength instead of relying on her training with us because of the unpredictability of its presence.

She lunged forward being the first to attack because she is the most inpatient one of us both. I deflected her sword easily and took a step back. She was at the limit of how much strength and speed she can use in her human form without shifting into her werewolf one. It is because of the blending of human and wolf that I have learned to adjust to the change after a few bouts by taking an extra step back after my initial deflection of her sword. By doing this, I am able to continue to easily deflect her as she quickly flows from one movement to the next without the added four seconds needed for a human to shift and swing their attacking arm. It is due to the cut in her timing that my added step is more of a slide back and not the lifting and placement of my foot into extra space. It makes more noise, but it is effective in staying ahead of her timing and would only ever be useful in a situation where I would be facing a werewolf who did not wish to shift out of their human form.

I deflected her attacks as the dirt I was sliding against kicked up into the air creating clouds of dust around my feet. It was more difficult to attack her, but I do not need to attack her more than once to get her to subject to my will. I only need to wait for her to make a mistake and exploit it while I have the chance to in order to bring her down to her defeat. It was when she stepped forward to ram her shoulder into me to push me back and break my defense that I was able to take a step forward to ram my knee into her exposed side. She winced and took a half a step back before crashing the hilt end of her sword into my stomach causing me to lose my breath and fall back. She took this opportunity to sweep my legs out from under me sending me slamming into the ground on my back forcing more air out of my lungs. I released my sword then rolled onto my side curling up into a ball to help ease the pain and catch my breath.

Once I was able to breathe once more, I rolled onto my hands and knees then slowly got to my feet. I retrieved my sword from the ground then turned to face her as she wore a triumphant smile on her face. I smiled back and held my hand out to her.

“That was a good match.”

She took my hand shaking it in mutual respect. “Yes well you are not easy to beat no matter what advantages I may have.”

“It would not be fun if it were easy.”

“Indeed.”

There was a loud clapping sound and we both turned to see Ell standing off to the side with Matthew and a few other werewolves that were still watching us even though we had finished. “You two are certainly entertaining to watch,” Ell said.

I sheathed my sword. “I do not remember being paid for my services as an entertainer for the day.”

“We pay in trade not coin.”

“And what is it that you trade?”

“Medicinal aid for your injuries.”

I lifted my shirt to reveal a throbbing red area in my stomach that would soon turn to the darker shades of purple and black. “I deem that a fair trade then.”

I watched as her now lustful eyes tore away from my revealed stomach and to meet my own. “Yes well, before that I need your help with cleaning and preparing the meat for tonight’s meal as well as helping with drying out the skin for furs for this coming winter.”

“As you wish.”

“You will be helping me as well,” she addressed Danny.

Danny looked to Matthew. “She is correct. After training for the day, every person here will be helping with the meat preparation and skins for the upcoming winter. If you wish to continue training, you will have to do that on your own time and not ours,” he explained making it clear that she was one of them. His gaze shifted to me. “That is meant for you as well.”

I stared at him curiously. Ell stepped in to fill the silence. “Come now. We need to begin on the game that was caught earlier this morning.” She met my gaze and gave me a pointed look to not question his statement.

“Lead the way.” I stepped to the side so she could pass.

Danny and I followed behind her as Matthew went to oversee the others that were still training. Once we had gotten far enough away that he could not overhear our conversation, Elle began to speak. “You have been with us for three months now and Danny is not only one of us because of who she is, but because of the hard work she has put into becoming more skillful and in tune with her wolf as well as training the others.”

“As for me?” I asked.

“You do not have to be a werewolf to be considered one of us.” She stopped to face me. “You do not treat us differently and you are fair and just in the way you perceive the world and its people. You are great with the children and despite the others animosity towards you, you have never done harm to them that they had not done to you first. You are more peaceful than we are used to when it is in relation to Hunters, but the final decision is yours. If you are not comfortable with it then that is fine. Only know that this can be your home as well if you wish.”

My fingers tightened around the hilt of my sword. “Thank you.”

“Thank Matthew.”

I nodded my head and continued to follow her. It is strange to think of this place as my home, but in some way, it does feel like a second home to me. I may not be a werewolf and yes there may be those who would sooner kill me than broach the concept of friendship, but there were those who did not treat me any different from the others. They requested my help with menial tasks such as fetching fresh water, watching their children as they cleaned, keeping a watchful eye on the food that was cooking, helping sharpen their weapons, and other tasks that do not require more than one person to complete, but because of the conversations they struck with me, it was clear they sought out my company just as much as the next person. There was no judgement when my gaze lingers on Ell longer than should be appropriate, and in fact, many of them have teased me about her and wonder if I will ever pursue her or forever curse myself to stare at her longingly like a love-sick fool. Even now they still whisper and laugh at my expense whenever I pass them with her at my side. It is all in good jest, but it feels more like home than any other I have had. So, will it be maddening to consider this place a home?

I looked around. I smiled and waved at those passing by then glared at those I knew were laughing at my proximity to Ell. I chuckled and shook my head. Yes, this may be a home to me simply because it is where I am the happiest and most comfortable. It is where I can be me unapologetically and I think that is what a home is meant to feel like.

“Give me your swords,” Elle said. I stared at her confused. “The only weapons allowed are those used as tools. All others are placed on the table until after the work for the day is done or an emergency occurs.”

I looked pass her to the table that held various weapons from those currently working with the meats and fur. “Interesting.” I untied my sword from my waist and surrendered it to her. Danny did the same.

“Both of you will go help with skinning the animals of their coat,” she ordered.

“And you?”

“I will be washing and setting the furs to dry so we may have warmer garments for the winter.” She smiled teasingly. “Do not worry. I will not be far from you if you feel yourself becoming lonely.”

“I do not get lonely.”

“So you say.” She began walking backwards. “You know where I am if you should need me.”

I watched her leave then felt Danny’s eyes boring into me. “What is it?” I asked.

“Nothing.” I met her gaze and crossed my arms above my chest. She smirked. “I was only wondering if you two will be together romantically soon so I may win the bet that I made.”

“Bet?”

“Yes. Many people have money on when you will finally stop acting like a child and court her.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “How kind of you to gamble on my romantic life.”

She held her hands up in surrender. “It is a harmless bet, but if you could work in haste I can be much richer than I currently am.”

I shoved her then stalked over to where the animals were being skinned. “Go to hell and stay there!”

“After I win!” She retorted.

I shook my head then grumbled after snatching a skinning knife in my hand and began in aiding the workers already present.

 

 

 

 

 

The horns blared one long note with six wavering undulations from about half a league away. Everyone paused in their ministrations then began to growl. Tools fell to the ground as a few shifted forms then raced off in the direction of the horn. Others quickly made their way back to camp and began to organize everyone into safe areas within the healing caves. I looked to Danny who was clutching her hands into fists as she gritted her teeth.

“What is it?”

“I do not know. I only have this feeling that I should be out there protecting and fighting with the others.”

I looked as more werewolves speed pass. “Go.”

She turned to me with bewildered eyes. “What?”

“I said go. They are your family too. Now go.”

“I do not think that is a great idea,” Ell cut in anxiously as she grabbed my arm and began to pull me away.

I yanked my arm out of her grasp then glared at her. “What do you mean?”

She looked around us and growled warningly at a few wolves who paused by us. “What I mean is that the signal you heard warns of hunters trespassing in our area with the intention to kill.”

“What kind of hunters?”

“Your kind.” She took my hand then looked to Danny. “The people will revolt as soon as this is over and you two will not be safe until Matthew deals with the situation. I need to get you both away from here until then.”

I pulled my hand away tugging her toward me in the process. I glanced at Danny and gave her a subtle nod before looking back at Ell. I listened as Danny took off running then shifted midstride because she howled to let me know she was going ahead. “I do not follow orders that force me to hide like a coward before I have engaged in battle myself.”

“I am not asking you to hide like a coward. I am asking you to stand down before you get killed in retribution for those Hunters out there!”

“If I have to pay for their mistake because the people here cannot separate me from them then that is not my fault nor the Hunters nor yours. It is theirs and I will not run from them!” I stormed pass her and to the table where my sword lay.

“I cannot lose you,” she said wearily.

“Then fight with me not against me.” I sprinted toward where the horn had sounded and pushed myself to the limit in order to get there in time to be of some use.

A set of paws thundering against the ground came from behind me and stayed at the heels of my feet as I ran as fast as I could. My blood pumped through my veins and my heart quickened in pace, but my other senses sharpened to take in my surroundings. A calm washed over me as my body loosened up the closer I got to the battle. I began to hear the sounds of a struggle then side stepped to the right. There was a crash behind me to the left where I had been a few seconds earlier and I could hear the snarls and yelling of a struggle happening. I pushed forward as the noise of battle got louder and began to assault my ears. I broke through the tree line and quickly analyzed the area.

There were more Hunters than werewolves, but the wolves were holding their ground despite having to fight off two or three Hunters at once. I felt a strong yet calm presence at my side and gazed through the corner of my eye to see that Ell was watching me critically with her wolf eyes. She was determined to stay by my side. I unsheathed my sword then joined the nearest skirmish to help even out the fight. The surprise look I received from the Hunter let me know that she knew who I was and was surprised to see that I was not only alive, but also fighting with the wolves. The fury in her eyes grew as she began to attack me maliciously. In her eyes, I was a traitor, but for me she was the traitor.

 This pack is protected under a treaty that was signed that proclaims that so long as the wolves did not commit any crimes against the humans, they would not be hunted. Yet here stands a large hunting party set on annihilating this pack even though they had committed no crimes. Me and Danny being here does not go against the treaty because they did not attack us nor did they state that they would murder us in retribution for their lost brethren, so we are not a viable reason for them to be here.

I bent down and slashed my sword at her stomach tearing into the flesh and drawing blood. She fell to the ground clutching her wound and I could see that my sword had wounded her deeply. She would not survive much longer due to the blood loss. I moved on to the next fight trying to make my way to where Danny was fighting off three Hunters. By the way Danny moved, it would be easier if she reverted back to her human form to fight. This is not to say that her wolf form is not strong, it is only because it would be easier for her to fight in the middle of three people if she could turn instantly on the balls of her feet instead of on four legs.

Ell bounded ahead of me and joined another fight that another werewolf was beginning to lose and I felt the coldness of ice from the loss of her presence. I shook my thoughts then focused on slicing and weaving through the fights striking down as many of the Hunters as I could along the way to Danny until I finally got to her position to draw away at least one opponent. Just as the others did, this one reeked of anger once he registered who I was and exactly like the others, he attacked more viciously and with more precision. By this point I did not know where I was bleeding from because of all the blood that was stained onto my clothes, but when his sword cut into my sword arm I grit my teeth and watched as a trail of blood painted my arm as it descended down to my wrist and then crashed down to the earth below. I switched my sword to my other hand and was thankful that my training and many hours of practice preparing for the worst made my least dominant hand capable of continuing the fight.

I allowed him to believe that he could best me because I had to use my other arm which was his fatal flaw. He over swung his sword which left his body vulnerable for an added two seconds. This gave me the opportunity to strike him and spear my sword through his stomach until it punctured through his back. I pulled my sword out then gazed around to take note of what was left in this battle and to look for Ell, but I could not find her which worried me.

The werewolves had the upper hand and were forcing the remaining twenty Hunters back. I watched as some of the Hunters kept pushing forward while others attempted to gain enough distance to run. By this point, many of them knew that I was here fighting on the werewolves’ side and therefore; I could not allow them to escape. I turned to Danny who had just dispatched another opponent and watched as her paws dug into the ground then growled out. Her nostrils flared then she turned and took off after any of the Hunters who tried to escape. She was aware as much as I was that it will do me no good if one of these Hunters were to escape with word of my survival and treachery.

I went after another Hunter who turned to flee from the battle and disposed of her quickly. I then began to cut others down as they began to run through the trees back to where they were posted. I listened to Danny’s footfalls as she too made quick work of Hunters who ran. Once the Hunters came to the realization that they could not flee they stayed to fight harder in the hopes to die as a strong warrior and not a coward. I stepped back into the clearing where the remaining few Hunters were killed for continuing to fight.

“Do not allow that one to escape!” I heard Danny call from the other side of the clearing.

I turned to see the one Hunter who had slipped by countless of wolves and was now running as fast as she could a few yards from where I stood. I looked down and spotted a bow and a few arrows a foot away on the body of a dead Hunter. I moved swiftly to acquire the bow and arrow and bit through the pain of my injured arm to notch the arrow and pull the bow string back. I focused taking in a deep breath then spotted my target. I released the arrow with my exhale and watched as it cut through the air until it pierced my target in the back. She fell forward and I released the bow before running to where she fell.

I drew my sword once more and pulled the Hunter up onto her knees once I saw that she was still alive. She cried out from the pain then glared up at me with all the hatred she could muster in her eyes. I held the tip of my sword to her neck and tried to look as calm as I possibly could.

“Who authorized you to attack this pack?”

“You will die for siding with them.”

“I asked you a question.” I pressed the tip of my sword into her neck drawing blood.

She gulped as fear flashed through her eyes. “We came of our own accord under orders from Sir Thomas Truman.”

“He is not the lord of this land.”

She smirked. “He will be soon enough once his son marries Lady Hollis at the end of next month.”

I smiled. “If he lives.” I walked to stand behind her then ran my sword across her neck slicing it open to emit a gush of blood. At least in this way she would not have to die from the fever that the arrow in the back of her shoulder would cause once it was removed.

I walked back to the clearing to see that the wolves had shifted back and all of their eyes were on me and Danny who stood at the edge of the wood waiting for me. I sheathed my sword and went to where she stood.

“Carmilla?”

I glanced down at my blood-stained hands and shook my head. “There was no other choice.”

“I know.”

“I had to.”

“So did I.”

I clenched my hands into fists. “May we be judged when the time comes.”

“As we all will be.”

I looked up, but could not spot Ell in the mass of bodies on the floor or in the crowd that was still staring at us. “I am right here,” her voice came from my side. She slid her hand into mine and squeezed it tightly letting me know that she was fine.

I squeezed her hand back and sighed in relief. “I am going to need help getting back.”

“Let us go then.” She pulled my arm across her shoulders and began to walk back to camp.

I leaned the majority of my weight into her body as I began to feel the stinging pain of my wounds. “How was it possible that I was not struck accidentally by one of the wolves during this skirmish?” I inquired. The wolves encircled us and we all began to return to camp.

 “You do not smell like a Hunter anymore since you have been with us for so long.”

“So I smell like all of you?”

“Not entirely true. You smell primarily like the children, Danny, and myself…mostly of me.”

I smiled at the notion of smelling like her. “That is helpful.”

“It is.”

We trekked back silently keeping a watch for any other disturbances in case there was a second wave of Hunters ordered to creep up on us. A few of our party shifted to their wolf forms in order to spring into action as soon as possible. No one said a word and I could still feel a few gazes on me as we walked. Once we arrived back to the camp, those in wolf form went to the caves to relay the message that the threat was eliminated and that they can come out now. Ell led me pass everyone that was beginning to fill the camp again and all eyes were on me once more. I ignored them as we continued to make our way to our home.

She set me down on our bed as soon as we entered our cave then she called to have the bath filled. “I need to get the blood off you to see where you have been wounded so I can treat them.”

I removed my sword from my waist then let it fall to the ground. “My arm has a gash along it.” I held my arm up so she could see it.

“Yes, but I know there are more wounds on you that you most likely do not remember receiving.”

“That is true.” I began to work on the buttons of my shirt then she helped me out of it because moving hurt too much. I reached for her hands and held them running my thumbs over her knuckles. “Why did you disappear when I went to aide Danny?”

“You said fight with you not fight next to you.” I looked up to see her smile, but then watched as a more somber emotion steeled her face. “I wanted to protect you earlier because you are still fully human, but when I saw you fighting I knew that you did not need it. I still worried, but I knew that as long as I could still hear your heartbeat then things were fine.”

“People die. It is the way life is meant to work.”

“I know, but I would like to see you live for as long as possible.”

“You cannot stop me from fighting.”

“I know.”

I lifted her hands to my lips and kissed them then I pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. “I was worried about you as well.”

“Sorry.”

I cupped her face in my hands. “I do not like to worry.”

“Neither do I.”

I slid my nose against hers. “I will worry about you though and I do not want to stay away any longer. I want this. I want us because I do not think I will be able to go into another battle with you without having kissed you first in case something was to happen.”

Her fingers brushed lightly against the skin on my waist before firmly anchoring her hands on them. “I want us too.”

“Good.”

I pressed my lips to hers and felt a dose of relief course through my body as if it was an antidote to a poison at feeling that she truly was there and that she was fine. All of the tension and worry melted to the floor as I slid my hands down her arms and then around her back to pull her even closer to me. She was alive and she was fine. She may have gotten hurt, but she was still here and she was still breathing. The smell of the woods that clung to her was real and the sweet taste of her lips and the strength of her hands confirmed that even further for me. She was alive.

She pulled away and rested her forehead against mine. “We need to take care of your wounds,” she said breathlessly.

“I know.” I ran my hands down her back then slipped them beneath her shirt feeling her hot skin lending further proof that she is alive.

She pulled away and reached for the buttons on my trousers. “Let us get you in the bath then treated.”

I leaned forward and kissed her lips once more. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For waiting for me to be ready.”

She stopped and brought her hands to my face. “I would have waited forever.” She kissed me tenderly then finished helping me out of my clothing.

She lowered me into the bath then moved around the cave preparing the different salves I would need as well as wraps for the worst of my injuries as I rid myself of the blood caked onto me. She helped me out and began to attend to my injuries once I had finished. Once that was complete, she went to check on the others who were part of the fight today as I lay down to get some rest. I did not notice that I had fallen asleep until I felt her sliding in next to me and wrapping her arms around me. She pressed a kiss to my shoulder then settled in to sleep.

An overwhelming feeling of dread washed over me and began to suffocate me. My body tensed and I felt her arms pull away from around me. It was a mixed feeling of sadness and relief. My body relaxed once more and her lips pressed and lingered on my shoulder before she pulled away and put an inch of distance between us. This is different now. Now we are more than friends to one another and the fear of being caught in her arms as her lover filled me with fear. I have had to hide and fear for my life for so long that it is not easy to enjoy the intimacy and know that no one will call for my execution in the morning. I can be in love and show it here. I just need time to adjust.

I turned over onto my other side to face her and took her hand lacing our fingers together and placing them by our lips. I kissed her fingers in worship. I can give her this, so she knows I want us.

I can do this at least.

 


	9. Guilt

**_Carmilla_ **

I startled awake and sat up. I surveyed the room catching the movement at the other end of it where Danny slept. She turned her head and I could see her brown eyes illuminated in the darkness due to her wolf shining through. She stood still for a second then turned to go back to the task of dressing. She pulled on a coat and strapped her sword to her waist before sitting to slide her boots on. I glanced outside to see the dark of the night sky still blanketed over everything with the light from the stars and moon the only source of disturbance to the world. I looked down to Ell and saw her hair matted against the side of her face. I pushed her strands of hair behind her ear feeling the warmth of her cheek against my fingertips then leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. I slid out of our bed then walked over to the clothes that I was given and picked out the black articles of clothing. Danny walked to the entrance of the cave and leaned against the edge of it as I quickly dressed then grabbed Ell’s black coat pulling it on and allowing her familiar scent to comfort the guilt still eating away at me even at this hour.

I met Danny by the entrance of the cave as I tied my sword to my side. She pushed off the edge of the cave then began to stride through the camp to the forest. I followed behind her relying on my memory of the layout of the camp as I followed her to the forest and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark. She gripped the hilt of her sword and tapped her fingers against it as we walked. She did not say a word, but she did not need to. We were headed in the direction of the battle from earlier that day where the bodies of the Hunters still lay in the clearing in the forest.

We stepped into the clearing and let out a sigh of relief to see that the bodies had been covered with furs before they were abandoned for the day in order to keep the animals from feeding on them. I reached into my boot and pulled my knife out from its sheathe. I looked to Danny and nodded my head to my left to indicate that I will take care of the bodies to my left. She nodded her head then made her way to the right with her knife gripped tightly in her hand. I knelt down by the nearest body and checked for a pulse followed by assessing the injuries done to him. I took my knife and forced it into his chest to pierce his heart in order to assure that he was dead.

I wiped the blood from my blade onto my pants then pricked my thumb causing a drop of blood to form on it.  “May the blood of your sister light your path and protect you through your transcendence to the next phase of life without a body. May the blood of your sister help you to fight the desire to give into the blood of our enemies. Rest now for your fight on earth has come to an end, but your fight for your soul has just begun,” I whispered pressing the dot of blood to his forehead to make the sign of the cross in order to cleanse and protect him as he moves through the underworld.

I stood and looked to Danny to see her moving through the bodies slowly mourning the loss since she was not able to deliver their last rights since she was a werewolf; since her blood was tainted by the blood of our enemies. It is our custom to bless each fallen Hunter with a blood protection to take care of them through the trials of the underworld. The number of those delivering the last rights depend on how many bodies were left slain on the battlefield. For this amount of bodies, it would be beneficial to have Danny’s help, but like twice before, she cannot do so. Although she is a Hunter through and true, by our laws she is tainted. She is no longer a human. She is an animal in need to be put down.

I do not agree with this view for what is it that makes us truly human? I have met many humans who are more beasts then they are human and vampires and werewolves who are more human than humans are. Being human is more than a body. It is a way of thinking, compassion, emotion, and living. There is no limit to humanity, only a lack of one.

I worked through each body slowly in the same process as the first with the added act of having to close the eyes of a few as I went. I stood and stretched out my back looking to Danny who was now moving the bodies into a neat line with their arms crossed over their stomach and the furs pulled up to their chests leaving their faces visible so I may deliver their last right. I turned and continued picking my way through the field and bodies until there was a shout of agony from the tree line. I stood and ran to where the cry was coming from and knelt down next to a woman as she scratched at her skin. Her back arched off the ground as a piercing yell left her throat sounding more like a wolf than a human. I pressed my hand to her chest and forced her back down. Her crazed eyes focused on mine and her hand clasped onto my arm digging her nails into it.

“D-d-do not let me t-t-tu-turn,” she begged.

“Shhh…it will be fine.”

“P-please. I do n-n-not w-wa-want that.”

I ran my fingers through her hair as I clutched at the collar of her coat. “I will not let you. I promise.” I brushed the stray hairs from her face then braced myself as I pulled her into a sitting position. I held her pressed against my front then grabbed my knife.

“T-t-t-thank y-you.”

I grabbed her hand wrapping it around the hilt of the knife then placed my hand on top of it. “You are brave and have fought with courage. You will be remembered for your warrior spirit and well-guarded until you take your seat in the afterlife.”

Her hand trembled, but moved the knife forward toward her heart. I added the necessary strength to help her plunge the knife into her heart. Her body arched back into me as her last breath escaped from her lips with a trail of blood sliding down the corner of her mouth. Her weight slackened into me becoming heavier and heavier as death began to work its journey through every inch of her body. I bit the side of my cheek to try to keep the tears at bay as the dam of guilt, regret, and sorrow began to eat away at my lungs causing me to have difficulty breathing. I looked down at the knife still with both of our hands attached to it then removed my hand slowly to watch as her hand slipped down to crash into her lap. I stared as the blood dripped from my knife onto her white shirt staining it with the remembrance of a life that once stood tall.

I gripped the hilt of the knife and pulled it slowly from its confines. I laid her body back down then wiped the blade clean with her coat so it would not mix with another’s. I gave her her last blessings then got up to continue with my task. She was only the first whose life I had to end while the wolf infection ate at their body and set their insides to flames. I had to do it again to five more people this night while the others sustained injuries too grievous to allow them to heal and take on the transformation or had died before the infection could be pumped throughout their body.

I walked to the rows of bodies that Danny had made with my wrist pouring blood down my hand since it was easier than to continue to prick my thumb in order to deliver the last blessings. I went to each body one-by-one then covered their faces with the furs until I had finally finished. I tore a strip of cloth from the bottom of my shirt then tied it tightly to my wrist to stop the bleeding. I closed my eyes and tried to rid myself of the dizziness that clouded my head due to the amount of blood loss from delivering last blessings as well as from earlier during the battle. Even with the sufficient amount of sleep I was able to gain, the fatigue and blood loss still took a toll on my stamina.

I opened my eyes to see Danny abruptly turn and stare into the forest behind us with tired eyes. I turned as well to see Ell break through into the clearing with worry seeping from every pore and from the rigidity of her body as she made her way to us.

“You have to rest. The both of you,” she whispered.

“This was something we had to do,” Danny said.

Ell took my wrist into her hand then began to wrap a strip of bandage around it properly to stop the bleeding. “You cannot blame yourself for this. They violated the treaty and came after us.”

“They are still Hunters like us, so we have to,” Danny explained.

“Ell,” I said drawing her attention to me. “These are our people. We had a hand in their deaths treaty or not. This is our responsibility.”  

She frowned and looked away. “I wish that we had taken you both in under different circumstances because it is difficult to know that you are not fully a part of our family here, that you have this whole other family that is at odds with us over who we are and that they will always come first.” She looked at me with a plea to let her finish. “I do not blame you for it. We all go back to our families to defend them no matter how long we have been apart from them, our true families can never be replaced with another. I only truly wish that your family was not a legion of Hunters intent on burying us all for being immortal.”

“I am sorry.”

Her hands cupped my face and she gave me a comforting smile. “Never apologize for taking care of your family. They are a part of you and have shaped you to be who you are tonight standing before me. I would sooner allow myself to be killed by them than to watch you turn your back on all of who you are.”

I turned to kiss her wrist lovingly. “Thank you.”

She caressed my cheek. “You need only ask me and I will help.” I nodded my head and she stepped forward to place a soft kiss to my forehead. “You rest now. Danny and I will go fetch the carts to place these bodies on so they may be returned for a proper burial by your people.”

“Thank you.”

She nodded then turned to Danny. “Follow me.”

They disappeared into the darkened forest as I stood there amongst the dead. I looked at all fifty bodies that rest there. This will be cause for war. No amount of discussions or deals can be made to erase what has happened here. Though the Hunters were the ones to attack, the sheer fact that not one was left alive due to Danny and I not wanting to risk one leaving to spread talk of our betrayal, will be the tipping point in which the houses will fight amongst themselves about going to a proper war. I know that Sir Hollis would like to avoid a war at all costs, but not even he can tame the thirst for blood of the other houses. He will have to succumb to the pressure and he will have to march on this camp despite the treaty even though it was not the fault of the werewolves. As is, the werewolves have all rights to call for war because they were attacked. Whether Sir Hollis wishes to or not, he has a war knocking on his door.

I looked back at the sound of creaking and the brush being crunched by a heavy object. Danny emerged into the field towing a cart behind her followed by Ell. Their werewolf strength in their human form does become beneficial when needed. Danny turned the cart around to have the open back facing the bodies before settling the cart down on its handles. Ell did the same with her cart then stared at me. She looked to the bodies then the cart before meeting my eyes and nodding her head in respect to knowing that carefully placing the bodies on the cart was the duty of me and Danny. She pointed to the cart then behind her letting me know she was going to go retrieve another one. I nodded my head then walked over to where Danny stood before the nearest bodies to her cart.

She looked down with her hands on her hips and her shoulders hung low. “How should we place them in the cart?”

“How many does each cart hold?”

“Ell told me ten without stacking them on top of one another.”

“Then we will place the ten on the cart and ensure that they are covered with the furs before moving on to fill the next one. If it takes us the rest of the night, then so be it.”

She nodded her head then peered up at the moon. “What do you think they will do with the bodies once we are finished loading them into the cart?”

“They will return them to the House of Hollis.” I walked over to the first body and knelt down to grasp the shoulders. “They have great respect for the dead unlike the packs that we have heard of from the other houses.”

Danny knelt down and grasped the ankles of the body then lifted it up and began to walk backwards to the cart. “Indeed, they do.” She climbed onto the back of the cart then continued backwards until we got to the end and placed the body down. She came to the side of the body and pulled the fur up in order to cross the arms over the stomach once more then set the fur back down. “What do you think possessed Sir Truman to attack the werewolves in our land?”

I hopped off the cart and went to the next body. “I do not know. It is not a good sign that he has done so now which means he believes he is benefitting from something currently happening back home.”

“Do you think that they may be in trouble back home?”

We lifted the next body. “I can only theorize what may be happening, but this is only confirmation that things are turning for the worst.”

“What do you think Matthew will do with us?”

The sound of a third cart rolling into the clearing pulled our attention briefly until Ell disappeared once more. Danny lifted her hand to pause our conversation then lowered it to signal that Ell was far enough away. “I do not know what they will do with us. I know that we may not be welcomed any longer in the eyes of the majority of the wolves here and they will call for our blood as well. The only conclusion I can come to is either they take us away from here and to another place that is much safer for us or we will be returned.”

“If we return you know as well as I do that we will die.”

“I will most likely die, you will be fine.”

“The trials will poison my body.”

“Yes, but your body will heal from it all. My body will not.”

“I am sure LaFontaine will keep you alive.”

“Just as I know that LaFontaine will ensure that your body takes on the traits of a human reaction to the silver and your wolf will keep you alive through the infection and the poison. I do not have those same chances.”

We lifted another body into the cart. “May I ask you a personal question?”

“You may.”

Danny stayed silent as the sound of another cart being pulled through the forest filled the night and Ell placed another cart down by the others. She turned and left once more to bring one more cart. Once she was far enough away, Danny looked to me. “What will happen between you and Ell if we are to be returned?”

I placed my hands on my waist and stared at the area that Ell had disappeared to. “I have finally accepted her in my life as someone I can love deeply one day, so I do not want to let that go. That is what I know with certainty right now.” I looked down at my bandaged wrist and stroked it with my thumb. “I do not know what to do past what decision they may make about what to do with us.”

She gripped my shoulder and squeezed it. “We will think of something.”

“I know, but my main concern is what shall I do if I am to see Laura again."

“What do you want to happen?”

“I am unsure.” I shook my hands out then walked over to the next body. “I do not know how I will face her. I do not know how I will behave around her or what I should say.”

She nodded her head gripping my shoulder once more to stop me. “You do not have to explain why if you do not wish to. It is your choice to do what you please and to be with who you want. You do not owe anyone a thing, especially if it makes you happy.”

She dropped her hand from my shoulder at the sound of the last cart rolling into the clearing. “Thank you,” I whispered then positioned myself to lift the next body.

Ell swirled her arms around in a big circle then came over to us and waited until we placed the body down to reach out for my wrist and exam the bandaging. “How are you feeling?” She asked as she grabbed another bandage out from her coat pocket and began to wrap it around the first one that was beginning to bleed through.

"Tired, but I will be able to finish here.”

She cupped my face and stared into my eyes. “If you need a break then take one. Matthew told me and a few of the others that they do not plan to return the bodies until the afternoon sun has risen completely into the sky.”

“He is planning to return them today then?”

“Yes. He does not want to disrespect the bodies any more than they have to be by detaining them here. He apologizes most profusely for the way he had to leave them out here, but it is a thin line of balance to appease our pack as well as respect your dead.”

I nodded my head in agreeance with her statement. “I understand the decision although I wish he would speak to me himself.”

“He is a great many things, but even he can harbor fear.” She took a half a step back. “He feared your reaction to the decision and wished me to relay the message to you.”

“Smart man.”

“Indeed.” She gripped my hand tightly in comfort then released it slowly. “I should allow you to continue with your task. If you should need me I will be patrolling the area.”

I tenderly gripped her chin between my thumb and forefinger bringing her lips to mine in a short and endearing kiss. “Thank you.”

“There is no need to thank me.” She placed a soft kiss to my wrist. “I shall be about.”

I brushed the back of my fingers against her cheek as a small smile graced her lips. She pulled away then set off to patrol the area. I collected myself then looked to Danny before moving to continue with our task. We worked through the night until the lights of the sun rising peered over the horizon. I tilted my head back in order to bask in the warmth that was beginning to thaw through the chill. Once I had rested sufficiently, we finished then stared at the meadow seeing the extent of the battle with the forest floor drenched in blood and forgotten weapons. There was a bone seeping cold that coursed through my body that had nothing to do with the still ever present early winter winds. It was an eerie form of a crawling sensation under my skin to see the proof of what had come to pass. To see what my own hands had taken part in doing. An image forever seared into my memory as one more secret I would have to keep.

Ell came into view picking her way through the remains of the battle that started the war. She helped me to my feet and I felt the exhaustion weigh heavily on my body as she had to wrap her arm around my waist and bear some of my weight as we walked back to camp. Another wolf walked into the clearing and informed Ell that he would be taking over watch of the bodies in order to prevent any foraging from nearby animals. Ell thanked him then we continued on our way. I made her promise to wake me long before Matthew departed with the bodies. She agreed then raked her fingers through my hair until I was lulled into a fitful slumber.

When I woke, Ell placed the palm of her hand against my forehead to take my temperature as I looked to the side feeling Danny’s presence there. She was dressed in black clothing with a red fur cape that tied at the front of her neck. She was holding a similar set of clothing in her arms only with a sky-blue cape instead of the red. I sat up ignoring the groaning and the aching of my body as well as the sudden bitter cold and layer of sweat coating it. I stared at her determinedly not wanting to be told to stay and rest. Ell caressed my cheek then helped me out of the bed and into the bath to wash off the sweat. She then helped me to change as my body still felt weakened from tiredness.

We walked hand-in-hand with my shoulder leaning into her for support as I fought for every step. Danny flanked my left side as we walked and she stole glances at me to ensure that I would not fall. I met her gaze then stood taller knowing that if I should stumble both Ell and Danny would stabilize me. We reached the party that would take the bodies to the House of Hollis as well as declare war. Matthew nodded his head in our direction and I released Ell’s hand. I noticed that there were few people here. The only ones here being the ones who have showed me kindness and had accepted my presence among them. I look to Danny and she took a steadying breath before nodding her head. We walked forward a few steps to retain the spot in front of those gathered then we both kneeled with Danny holding her hand slightly out to help me if I should need it.

Matthew raised his hand to draw attention and silence the restless rustling of those there especially those who were going with him and did not like me in the least. He folded his hands behind his back and bowed his head forcing all those in attendance to do the same. I stared forward at the bodies lining the cart and felt Danny’s eyes on me. The highest ranked Hunter is the one that must deliver the parting words from the living to the realm of the dead when the head of house was not present. Similar to last night, it rested on my shoulders to deliver these words. I straightened my back and held my hands out, palms up, facing toward the sky, and closed my eyes.

“The drums beat for the warrior’s march from this world to the next. With my blood, I protect thee as you journey through the trials and tribulations that may attempt to pull you from your path. We here bid farewell to your body and soul in this plain, and hope that you are welcomed with open arms in the next. Though the life of a Hunter may be turbulent, death is always certain. Never fear death, never bow to it, or give up willingly. Fight until your final breath, and we will continue on for you until we meet again.” Danny and I clapped our hands once for every soul lost. Once done, we stood together and watched as Matthew raised his own head then turned and began his walk to the House of Hollis.

“We will be moving you to our other camp, so when you two are ready we will leave as well,” Ell said from behind us.

“I guess that answers that question,” I whispered.

“Better than having to fight when you are more than tired,” Danny responded.

“I suppose so.” I turned to Ell once the party had disappeared from my sight. “Shall we?”

“Of course.” She held her hand out for me and I took it letting her lead me to another set of carts that had just arrived.

I wonder if I will ever be going back before or during the new war that was about to begin.

* * *

 

**_Laura_ **

I set my goblet of wine down onto the table and ran my fingertip along the rim of it feeling the wetness from where my lips had clasped around it and filled my mouth with the sweetness of the wine. I rubbed my forefinger against my thumb transferring and spreading the moistness. I looked up at the creaking sound of the door to the dinner hall opening and dried my finger and thumb onto the hand cloth to the side of my dinner plate. The door opened enough to reveal my father. He stood at the door momentarily looking around at the empty hall. All of the Hunters and recruits had disappeared behind the mountains to be with their families and friends before the sun had risen. We hung a black flag over the entrance to our home to signify that we were in mourning and if there is anything that vampires do understand and still remember from their lives as humans, it is that a mourning period should be respected even if the ones in mourning were your enemies.

The only ones to remain were myself, my father, LaFontaine, Perry, and Kirsch. JP returned home to be with his family in order to do a remembrance ceremony for his older brother who dutifully ended his own life in order to prevent himself from turning into a werewolf and becoming a traitor to our people. This is one of the laws of our people in which I do not agree with. My belief is that so long as the foundations of who the person is remains after the change, then there is no reason to lose a life that could otherwise help us in moving forward to stop wars from beginning over and over again. Unfortunately, this is a topic that I cannot discuss with my father because he has a polar opposite belief in how our houses should be ran. He is in firm belief of all of our laws established and has also worked to place even stricter laws on our people in terms of repopulating our numbers as soon and as quick as possible. This is one of the many reasons in which he has been pushing me to marry.

I reached for my goblet as he strolled to the head of the table to take his own seat. The servants ran to accommodate him and serve him a plate of food. He remained quiet as his food and drink was being served in front of him from the small platters that sat on the table. I had not spoken to him since this afternoon after having watched as Mattie rode away on her own to search for Carmilla and Danny. My father was reluctant to allow her to fulfill her search without guards for fear of the worst happening to her in her travels and suffering the repercussions of such a decision by her mother. She had insisted on the matter arguing that if she were to find the werewolf pack that had taken them, that it would serve her no good to be perceived as wanting to engage in a fight with them when she is there to demand answers as to the whereabouts of her sister and Danny. She did not want to seem threatening with a mass number of Hunters, and she also argued that it would be a faster search if she was alone for she would be able to cover more ground as quickly as possible without having to frequently stop to rest.

He was not happy with the arrangement, but due to our customs, he had no choice but to honor her wishes because this was the way in which she wanted to spend her mourning period. It also helped her cause that I signed off on allowing her to search for Carmilla and Danny.

“Do you believe she will find them?” He asked referring to Mattie’s mission.

“I do not know, but if it will aid her in focusing once she returns, it does not matter what answers she finds at the end of her journey.”

“And if she finds nothing?”

“Then I can only hope that her focus will return to us until she is next able to search.”

He reached for his goblet and took a small drink to give him time to arrange his thoughts. “If she finds them, they will have to go through the trials.”

“I am sure she is well aware of that fact.”

“Are you?”

“I know all of our customs and laws,” I answered confidently that I do not give him any land to stand on to doubt me.

He analyzed me as he cut through his meat. “Do the others not wish to join us?”

“They expressed that they had no appetite”

“Ensure that they receive some form of sustenance before they sleep. It does no one a service if we cannot keep up our strength in these sorrowful times.”

“I will have the kitchen take them small dishes.”

He nodded his head then stared at his plate leaving a tense silence between us. The only sounds filling the hall were that of our knives and forks scraping against our dishes. It is not certain that he believes that I had no hand in the death of Theo, but he also is unable to prove that I did when the only witnesses were the members of my team and unless he can capture the vampires that “attacked” us, he has no grounds to charge us with treason. Publicly he must appear to be angry and betrayed by this action, but privately he may have a miniscule amount of pride in my ability to plot and succeed in my actions. He may never be able to admit to my wrongs out loud, but his attitude and acknowledgement of me is enough to show his pride if you are practiced in the art of reading him.

The doors to the hall were thrown open followed by a panicked Kirsch. We both turned to him. He stopped and straightened his stance as he caught his breath. “We have a problem.”

“Explain,” my father demanded.

“The wolves are marching toward us with carts while carrying a white flag.”

My father and I stood at once. “How many carts are there?” I asked.

“Five. We are unable to see what they have in the carts, but there are not many wolves in total. It seems more like an escort than an attack.”

“We?” I asked curiously.

“LaFontaine came to check on me. I left them to watch the procession make its way to us while I alerted you two.”

We rushed down the corridors and across the courtyard until we sprinted up the stairs to reach LaFontaine stationed at the top of the wall. My father stepped forward. “Give me the eyeglass,” he commanded.

LaFontaine dutifully surrendered the eyeglass and stepped aside to give my father more room. He held the eyeglass and stared through it to the convoy that was marching its way to us. I could barely make out the line of wolves and carts and could confirm Kirsch’s claims that it was not an attack. The white flag waving above them gave more confirmation that this was not them coming for a war, but what were they coming for? What did they have in the many carts that they pulled behind them?

“Open the gates for them,” my father ordered.

Kirsch and LaFontaine hurriedly followed behind me to the gate to begin to crank the doors open. My Father stood in front of the doors with his hands folded behind his back and his head held high in challenge. Once the doors had been opened, I stood beside him and followed along at his side as he walked outside the safety of our house to stop the wolves from coming any closer to the entrance. Although we did not have any of our Hunters or recruits here to fend off an attack, we will not go down easily and without taking more than half of them with us to the grave.

The wolves stopped a few feet from us and their leader Matthew stepped forward with two of his men. His eyes darted behind us to our house and obtained a puzzled glint in his eyes before flicking them back to us. He stood firm and tall as he took in the state of us.

“You have lost someone,” he stated.

“We are in mourning,” my father confirmed.

Matthew looked at our black clothes and once again to the black flag hanging in the front of our house. “Then I must apologize in being the bearer of worse news.”

I stood firm. He has brought back Danny and Carmilla, but they are dead. “What news would that be?” My father calmly questioned.

Matthew held his hand up and beckoned for his pack to turn the carts around to show what was being carried in them. I did my best not to look away at the many dead bodies of Hunters lying within the carts. “Your people attacked us and we had no choice but to defend ourselves.”

My father tensed at the news. “When?”

“Yesterday afternoon.”

My father’s jaw tensed at the answer. We had been in the courtyard holding vigil for Theo at that time. There was no order sent at that time or before to attack the wolves and with our treaty in place, we would never launch an attack unless there was a viable reason to do so. This means that these Hunters were ordered by someone else to attack the wolves and had been traveling from far enough away to not have received notice of Theo’s death and funeral or their current whereabouts were not well known enough to send word to stop the attack and be present at the funeral. If I am correct, then that leaves all of our wolf hunting houses under suspicion, but if I was one to gamble, my money would be placed on Sir Truman. He is the only one that would be willing to disregard my father and the treaties within our land to gain power and to usher his son onto the throne to take control of all the houses. If I had to wager, I would say that the attack on the wolves was the first step in attempting to prove that Theo was the better leader and that I should be stripped of my title and diminished to solely being a prize.

“I can assure you that the ones responsible for the attack will be dealt with,” my father assured.

“We will not stand here and wait for you to deal with it. We will adhere to your practice of mourning, but once done, we will be back and there will be war.”

“Surely there is something we can do to avoid war?”

Matthew stood taller and more imposing. “These are your lands, these are your Hunters, and these are your treaties. You are the one responsible for what others do in your lands with or without your knowledge. There is no compromising.”

“So, we are at war.”

 “Once you are done mourning, we will be back.”

“One month. We will finish mourning in one month.”

Matthew nodded. “I will hold you to that timeline.”

My father stuck his hand out. “I am a man of honor. Despite what other branches of our house may do or think, I still uphold my end.”

Matthew grasped his hand. “I do apologize that things must come to this, but you must understand my decision.”

“I have the unfortunate mind to understand it because my decision would be the same if the roles were reversed. I can only apologize that you have been put in this position and that you have had to deal with this yourselves. I have done all that I could to have the other houses obey our treaties, but it seems I have one house I do have to personally deal with aside from our war.”

“I wish you the best of luck with that.” Matthew stepped back. “I shall leave these carts with you and take my leave. We will be back in a month’s time.”

“Safe travels.”

I fought the urge to speak out in question of the fate of Carmilla and Danny and prayed that their bodies were not amongst those on the carts. The mere fact that Matthew did not mention word of them is nerve wracking and has settled a boulder of dread on my chest and throughout my body. If they are not here, then what was or is their fate? Am I to spend the rest of my life wondering what had happened and regretting having done nothing to retrieve them or go in search for them? Although Mattie is searching for them, there is only so far she can transverse through the lands on her own before she must return. It worries me that after her travels she will return with no answers as to what had happened to Carmilla and Danny. Although I remain firm in my belief that they are alive, staring at the numerous bodies before me fills me with doubt.

What will I do if they are amongst these dead?

“We must bring them inside then send word to all those who have left and are possible to reach to return. We also must send word to the other houses,” my father said somberly. He removed his coat dropping it to the ground then rolled up his sleeves before turning back to our house to retrieve the horses.

“Do you think they are in there?” Kirsch asked in a whisper filled with doubt and distress.

I looked to him and LaFontaine then back to the carts. “Only time will tell,” I answered. “Let us rally more horses so we may get our people inside as quickly as possible so we may figure out who they are and which house they belong to.”

“I shall prepare the dead house to hold the bodies for the time being,” LaFontaine said while walking quickly back to the house.

“Have Perry assist you,” I ordered. “Stay here with the carts and be on alert. I trust the wolves, but I do not trust the person that sent these Hunters to be slaughtered,” I commanded Kirsch.

“As you wish,” he responded while moving his hand to grip the hilt of his sword.

I turned back to the house and made my way to the horse stalls to aide my father with grabbing a few horses to pull the carts inside. He made his way pass me with two horses and did not spare a glance in my direction. For a moment, I saw the weight of his position reflect on his face as he turned to comfort the horses. It is not often that I see the mask he wears fall away, but with the declaration of war and carts filled with the bodies unnecessary deaths, it calls for him to take a minute to be human. His shoulders slumped as he continued to walk out to gather our dead. I wrangled two more horses and followed behind his heavy steps.

We hitched the horses to two of the carts and walked the horses back inside. Kirsch stood formidably in the dark with his eyes gazing all around for any inkling of trouble. It was a heavy silence with only the creaking sound of the wooden wheels rolling against the dirt path and the horses’ hooves clapping steadily. LaFontaine and Perry came out to the courtyard after we had brought in the fourth cart and my father had gone back for the last one. They stood together searching the carts for any sign of Danny and Carmilla. I shrugged my coat off and tossed it to the side before climbing into the back of one of the carts to begin to unload the bodies onto the ground to be placed on the stretcher to carry them to the dead house through the hallways to the east courtyard. Perry stepped forward to help me with getting the bodies to the ground and LaFontaine began to examine what was visible on the bodies and making notes in their notebook.

Once my father had brought the last of the bodies, he and Kirsch shut the gate then came back to begin to carry the bodies LaFontaine had examined to the dead house. It was a long process and becoming numb to it was the default response when dealing with this large body count. I did not want to look at their faces nor did I want to count how many there were. My body moved automatically and the screaming of my muscles was a background noise to the silence of the night.

I hopped down from the last cart then stood before the last of the bodies. LaFontaine was still taking notes on the bodies from the previous carts, so I moved to begin to pull the fur coats from the bodies so LaFontaine can examine them and I could have something to do with my hands. When I pulled the fur back from the face of the first body, I stopped and stared at what was marked on their forehead. I kneeled down to take a closer look and felt my blood run cold in my veins and my heart stutter to a stop. There on their forehead was proof that Carmilla and Danny were alive. The wolves do not know our customs which means that only Carmilla and Danny could do such a thing. Only they could have given these bodies their last rights before sending them away with the wolves to be returned to us.

I looked up to see my father walk away with Kirsch carrying another body between them and LaFontaine stand up to stretch out their back. “They are alive,” I said loud enough to catch LaFontaine and Perry’s attention.

“I assumed the same thing,” LaFontaine revealed. They stared down at their notebook. “All of the bodies I have examined so far have the cross marked onto their foreheads with blood. Only Carmilla would be able to do such a thing considering Danny’s predicament.”

Perry kneeled down next to me and stared at the body as well. “Do you believe the wolves will return them to us?” She asked.

“I am unsure. If they had planned to return them to us, then why did they not do so with this opportunity no matter how grim the trip?” I pondered out loud.

“Maybe they are not finished with their mission,” LaFontaine mused.

“What do you mean?” I stood and went to stand closer to them while glancing over their shoulder to see if my father was returning yet.

LaFontaine tapped their fingers against their book gathering their thoughts. “What if when they arrived they could smell that Danny was a wolf like them? What if they took Danny to determine where she stood as a wolf and only called for Carmilla as well to not draw attention to Danny?”

“That should be impossible. They should not have been able to smell Danny because of the perfume you had created for her.”

“That perfume was created to hide her smell from Hunters and because of how long she has been using it, she may have become blind to her own wolf smell because of the constant smell of the perfume on her skin. This would mean that the wolves have an even greater sense of smell than we have thought them to have. If they were still able to smell the wolf on Danny despite the years of the perfume clinging to her body, then it is possible for them to quickly make that decision in that short amount of time. This would explain why they requested them alive instead of having them executed right in front of us when they were called forth as is their right due to the treaty.”

I stepped back as I spotted my father returning and began to unveil the other Hunters as LaFontaine knelt down to continue examining the bodies. Once they had left once more and I felt they were far enough away, I went back to kneel next to LaFontaine with Perry standing next to us. “So, it is possible that the reason why they have not returned is because of Danny?” I asked to gather LaFontaine’s opinion.  

“Yes. Since Danny still has trouble controlling herself during the full moon and every once in a while, due to extreme emotions or the high presence of danger, it could be possible that they have kept them for so long is because they are teaching Danny how to control herself.”

“If that is true, then why have they never come before?”

“Danny has never had contact with them before. The wolves do not come out this far and we do not go to them. We leave each other alone unless there is no choice.”

“So they feel responsible for an out of control wolf being so near their territory.”

“It is the pack mentality,” Perry interjected. “Werewolves may be different because they still have the human element to their lives, so they are more than willing to adopt and also feel a heavy responsibility for other more troubled wolves and are more willing to bring them into their pack and teach them how to control themselves and how to accept that they are both human and animal.”

“With that we can assume that they have adopted Danny into their pack and have been teaching her how to control her animalistic side,” I stated. “But where does that leave Carmilla?”

LaFontaine moved onto the next body as we broke apart with the sound of the men’s footsteps making their way back. I helped to place the next body on the stretcher and waited for them to disappear. “I do not know what it is they have done with Carmilla or where she would fit in with them, but it is clear that they have kept her alive,” LaFontaine answered.

“They may have adopted her into their pack as well since she has been with them for so long and if she has not done anything to harm them,” Perry added.

“And what if they have harmed her?” I asked.

“Then they may feel a stronger need to take care of her and make her one of them.”

“Either which way, we know that they are alive. It is the matter of when or if we will see them again,” LaFontaine made a point.

“We will see them again,” I affirmed.

“How are you so certain?” Perry questioned.

“Because Mattie is out there, and if I were her, I would take this moment to track the trail the wolves left behind them on their way here back to their camp.” I scratched at my forehead and stared at the bodies. “If anyone can bring them back, it would be her. She has the wits and does not mind toeing or crossing the line between right or wrong. She will do what she has to.”

“Then it is a waiting game,” LaFontaine said.

We turned that truth over in our heads as my father and Kirsch returned. We continued with relocating the bodies and examining them before my father disappeared into his office to construct the letters to be delivered to the families of the fallen and to the other houses to call their heads to a meeting about the looming war. He sent Kirsch west, LaFontaine East, and Perry North. He handed the letters to the south to me and fell into his chair to stare into the fire.

“Do you know who called for the attack on the wolves?” I asked him.

He did not meet my eyes. “Sir Truman will receive his punishment for his actions and for the future deaths of Hunters for his own selfish agenda.” He sat up and handed me another parchment. “Gather our troops in the south and lead an attack on the Truman House. Burn it to the ground and leave no one who opposes us alive.”

I furrowed my eyebrows as I stared at him. “But it is the time for mourning.”

“He lost his right to mourn when he sent fifty of our people to be slaughtered and for dragging the rest of us into a war.” He turned his cold gaze to me. “Will this be a problem for you?”

“No. It shall be done,” I submitted.

“Then you are dismissed.”

I took my leave with a bitter taste in my mouth. If there was any a time that I would need to have Carmilla by my side, it would be now. I do not agree with my father’s decision, but I will not disobey them. I pray that Mattie will bring Carmilla and Danny back before I hit a point of collapse.


	10. Return

**_Carmilla_ **

I placed the wooden staff across the back of my shoulders with the two buckets full of water hanging off each end then began to make the trek back up the hill to the new camp we were settled in. Ell had been the one to organize the chores for today as we waited for Matthew to appear with news of what had transpired when they had returned the bodies to the House of Hollis. It had been a few days since then and Danny and I have been waiting anxiously to hear any news. Although, we could tell that there was a shift in the air and that everyone was on edge since Matthew’s return. The people of this camp and those who visited stood with a slight crouch in their shoulders as if prepared to leap into a transformation at any given second while others wore their worry in the hard lines of their faces. Still others were stoic and wore neutral faces as they interacted with others.

War was on the horizon, that I know for certain. It was the logical decision seeing as the wolves had been attacked, but I also know for certain that Sir Truman will not live long enough to see his war happen. Sir Hollis will handle him before the first sounds of the war is made. If there is one thing I am certain of, it is that Sir Hollis is not who he projects himself to be to others. In private he is much more cruel and mad and he will do what he has to in order to realize his goals. I only wish that I can wash my brain of what I have read and seen, but I know that will never happen and these are things I will forever see behind the darkness of my eyelids. If there is one thing I wish for more than anything, it is to tell Laura the truth about her father and mother. I should probably consider speaking to Danny in case something was to happen to me.

I got to the top of the hill and saw that everyone was standing still and staring into the forest. I continued to make my way to the center of camp with the buckets of water then set them down and peered into the forest with everyone else. Ell came to stand by my side followed by Danny as Matthew and a few other wolves broke through the tree line. I furrowed my brows as I saw that one of the wolves was holding a chain in his hands and seemingly dragging someone behind him. My body tensed up as I took a step to the side to see who the person was. My whole body went as still as stone. Behind the wolf walked Mattie and when her eyes met mine, a smug smile spread across her lips and she lifted her hands to wave a hello letting me know that she had planned on being captured and dragged here. If she is here, then things at the House of Hollis must be grim because they would never allow her to leave and search for me on her own. They would have never allowed her to go on a search in the first place which means someone must be dead.

My heart seized up at this thought. Please do not let it be Laura.

I turned my focus to Matthew and met his gaze as he was staring at me for my reaction. He ignored Mattie for now and looked to the rest of the pack. “As some of you may have heard or have guessed, we will be going to war with the Hunters at the end of the month. They are currently in a period of mourning and we will respect them and their customs unless stated otherwise.” He looked away to his pack. “For now, we prepare for the fight. Obtain or sharpen any weapons that you may want to take with you, gather enough food and pelts for those who are staying behind, see to it that your families are safe, and deal with anything else that needs to be dealt with before you put your lives on the line. Leave nothing left unsaid or undone.” He waited to allow for those instructions to settle in before continuing. “Be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. Although I trust the Hunters to keep their word, there are some among them that do not know how to stay their blades.” The fact that this statement was the reason why this war was starting to begin with was left unsaid. Every person was aware that the House of Hollis would never go against their treaty, but they also know that not every house is of the same mind and honor. Matthew returned his gaze to me. “I need to speak with you two alone,” he said addressing me and Danny. He reached for the end of Mattie’s chain and dragged her along behind him.

I looked over my shoulder to see Ell hesitating. She was not summoned along with us and she was fighting the urge to be at my side. I shook my head at her to let her know that it was fine and that she should not follow us and she gave me an understanding nod then turned away to deal with the buckets of water I had left alone on the ground.

Matthew pulled Mattie along behind him and although I wanted to quicken my pace to walk alongside her, I knew that it would not help the situation. The only reason why she is alive is because of the white cloth she had tucked into the back of her belt. She must have walked into the camp with that cloth held up high which begs the question as to how they did not notice her long before she turned herself in. That was something I was certainly going to have to ask her about if we got the opportunity to speak alone.

Matthew stopped at the edge of the river and turned to face us. “I do not need to explain to you how delicate the situation is currently, so please explain to me who this Hunter is and why she is here.”

“I can actually answer that for you,” Mattie spoke up causing Matthew’s jaw to clench.

“I did not ask you,” he growled.

“But she is right. The only information I can give you is that she is my sister,” I stated plainly.

Matthew looked between us seeming to think this over. He tugged on Mattie’s chain to let her know that he was in charge and could do what he pleases with her. “Why are you here?” He demanded.

Mattie rolled her eyes at his show of dominance. “I am here to collect these two and bring them home where they belong,” she said with a biting tone.

Danny made a minuscule shift. “Why should I believe you? How do I know there is not an army following behind you?” Matthew demanded.

Mattie straightened her back and cocked an eyebrow up at him challengingly. “Because when I left we were only in mourning for two weeks. The only reason why I know that it has been extended to a month is because I had heard the sound of your wagons creaking and crunching against the dirt road and saw for myself the amount of bodies that were settled inside them.”

“How were you able to get past our ability to smell and hear?”

She smirked at this. “Now why would I tell you that? As of a few days ago, we are enemies.”

He tugged on her chains pulling her forward and wrapped a hand around her neck. “You will tell me.”

I moved quickly hooking his arm under mine and driving my knee into his ribs then kicked at the back of his knee forcing him to buckle to the ground. “You will not raise a hand at my sister,” I spat out.

He growled angrily and lunged at me only to be stopped by Danny who moved to grab him by the back collar of his shirt. She forced him back down. “I do not want to hurt you, but I will not allow you to attack them without a fight,” she declared to him and kept a firm grip on his shoulder.

“You have put your trust in us because of Ell and we have done nothing to have it stripped away from us, so trust us now when I say my sister is telling the truth. If there was an army behind her they would have attacked while you were here with us,” I rationalized.

He bared his teeth and tried to get up to his feet. Danny held him down. He calmed. “I will not attack, so release me.”

Danny looked to me and I nodded my head. She let him go and he got to his feet. “Release my sister please,” I asked as kindly as possible.

He unlocked the chains from around her wrists then stepped aside. “So you wish to take them back?” He questioned.

Mattie clasped her hands in front of her. “Yes. That is all I am here for.”

He stared at the both of us, but lingered on Danny. “I am willing to allow them to return, but I will not show mercy on the battle field.”

“That is understandable,” I said.

He nodded his head. “I will let you three speak,” he excused himself.

We stood and waited for him to disappear over the top of the hill. “Please tell me that Laura is not dead,” I demanded with the feeling of my heart crashing into me chest and breaking apart.

“No. Laura is fine. It is Theo who is no longer with us,” Mattie clarified.

I felt the tension in my body and the shards in my chest dissipate into the air and ground around us. “She went through with her plan.”

“She did. She was able to convince her father to allow JP to accompany us and to have me replace you on her team.”

“What of the vampires, Abraham and Elizabeth?”

“Laura gave them their pass under the condition that they stay hidden and do not commit any atrocities that will bring their names across her desk in the future.”

I nodded my head and placed my hands on my hips. “Did she mention what was to come next?” I asked curious to see if Laura had thought about the chance of me not returning in time to continue with her plan.

“No. She did not mention any further plans. As far as we have come, Theo is buried and Laura is no longer charged with having to marry. As for information of what that means for the future, it was meant to be placed on hold until after the mourning period, but with the latest development I do not see that happening,” she said opening the conversation for me to explain my end of the view.

“A few days prior Sir Truman had launched a small attack on the main camp of the wolves that led to all of the Hunters being killed.”

“Not every Hunter.”

“What do you mean?” Danny asked no longer staying silent.

“How do you think I was able to locate the direction of the camp in the first place?” Mattie began. “One of the Hunters admitted he ran like a coward before the fighting started and I bumped into him as he was headed in the direction back to the House of Truman. I extracted the location out of him and was intrigued by the other information he provided me about you two,” Mattie explained.

“What do you mean?” Danny inquired.

“Well he had an interesting story about how you two were traitors because you aided the wolves in murdering them.” Mattie waved her hand in the air dismissively. “I took care of him before heading in this direction and I do not care about what you have done and why you did them. My only concern is bringing you back home.”

“What did you do with body?”

“I disposed of it of course. I cannot leave a body out in the open.”

I put my hands up to put an end to this turn of the conversation before it turned into an argument between them. “Put aside what has happened and let us focus on the task at hand,” I said drawing their attention. “If we leave, it will have to be at first light tomorrow.”

“What do you mean by if? You are returning with me,” Mattie declared. I looked to Danny. Mattie crossed her arms. “I know your wolf is telling you to stay, but you have an obligation to your true family.” Both of our eyes widened at her words. She huffed. “It is not hard to determine why the wolves have allowed you to roam around their camps freely and why you have grown attached to them. I know that Carmilla is not the werewolf because she does not keep secrets from me when it concerns her wellbeing which leaves Danny.”

Danny shuffled uncomfortably. “You cannot tell anyone.”

“Well that is obvious.”

I ran my fingers through my hair. “Now you know which is where the word ‘if’ comes along.”

Mattie looked at me. “For her yes, but for you, no. I thought you would be more elated at the prospect of returning to Laura unless…” Her skeptical eyes roamed over me from head to toe. “There is someone here.”

“What led you to that belief?” I asked defensively.

She waved her finger from my head to my feet. “The way you hold yourself is different. You seem more confident and at ease with yourself which could only come from accepting and being free with your sexual and romantic tastes seeing as you are overly confident about your other characteristics and abilities.”

I fought the urge to twitch at her conclusion. “You know me too well.”

She shrugged. “I am your sister.” She turned to look up the hill. “Which gives me permission to ask what you plan to do about Laura?”

“What do you mean?”

“I should probably excuse myself. This seems like a conversation between sisters,” Danny interrupted. I glared as Danny retreated up the hill. I waited until she disappeared.

Mattie relaxed her stance. “A werewolf?”

“Do not start,” I said tiredly. I stared at the grass before deciding to sit down on it.

“It is unorthodox in the eyes of those older than us, but most of us in the new age are not as judgmental so long as the partner is not someone we will eventually have to bring to justice.”

“It does not bother you?”

Mattie sat down beside me. “I can see the physical change she has had on you in terms of how you carry yourself, but does she make you happy?”

“She does. I never knew how relieving it could be to be able to freely express my love to someone and not have to worry about the consequences.”

“That is a valid point, but does she make you happy?”

“She does,” I answered without hesitation.

A quiet settled between us as those words floated around our heads. “If you return home, it will be easier for you to continue your relationship and not have to hide it.”

“I doubt Sir Hollis will approve of it.”

“Not that home, your true home with me.”

I looked to her sadly. “You know as well as I that Sir Hollis still makes the laws.”

“He may make the laws, but he does not live in our house.”

I sighed. “I would need to fulfill the rest of my obligation to Laura before I could return.”

“What else could there be?”

“It does not stop at Theo’s death. There is more that needs to be done and that is all I can say on the matter.”

She stared at me then let the matter fly away. “Then you know what you have to do.”

I released a heavy sigh. “I do, but that does not make this easier.”

“The choices we make hardly ever are.” She stood and held her hand out. “Come. We have the rest of today at least.”

I took her hand and let her help me up. “The rest of today.”

I folded my hands behind me and led her up the hill. She did not interrupt the silence between us as we walked allowing me to process what must be done. As much as I would love to stay, there is many things I do still have to help Laura accomplish. My capacity to love is deeper than anyone would be able to perceive when first looking at me, but my sense of responsibility will win when pitted against one another like right now. I know that I would have had to leave eventually, but this is sooner than what I had anticipated. It is sooner than what I had wanted it to be if being truthful. Since some of the other wolves had begun to be comfortable and accepting of me into their pack, it had become bearable to deal with those who did not like me. But like many aspects of life, the fork in the road appears before one has fully come to terms with what they have to do and where they have to go.

Setting aside all of this, I have to tell Ell now so she is aware that these are the last hours I can spend with her alone. It has been a whirlwind of a few months where my time was primarily spent with her. Sure I had to fulfill other tasks with the pack and train with Danny in order to build my strength again, but my time was spent at Ell’s side and I will miss that. I will miss the proximity of her not being too far away from me, the feel of her body heat radiating off her and touching my skin even when we were inches apart, the care in her eyes and touch, and how she listened to me and knew when and how to comfort me when needed. I will miss the smell of her when we sleep and the way she feels in my arms or how her arms feel wrapped around me, but most of all, I will miss being able to wake up to her without fear. The lack of fear is what I will miss most of all, but also the freeing nature of the expression of love.

I know there is a chance of me dying when I return which is something I will have to admit to her. She needs to know of the possibility and be prepared for it. She must know that there is a chance I will never see her again. She has to know of the worst that could happen. I wish I can tell her that things will go perfectly when I return, but all I can give her is the hope of a possibility that things will go smoothly. All I can give her is a sliver of hope that I will see her again. From there it will be that I will not be able to see her often and that it would be a risk when I do.

I looked around the camp and spotted Ell standing by the center fire. She lifted her head and turned to meet my gaze. She tilted her head to the side and I gave a small shrug. She excused herself from the others and began to walk to the tent we share to signify that she will be waiting there for me so we may talk in private.

“I will assume that the one that left was the one you have been seeing,” Mattie said breaking the silence.

“That would be her.”

She nodded her head. “You know each other well enough to communicate without words?”

“We do.”

“She must pay very close attention to you.”

“Sometimes more than I would like, but she is a healer so it is to be expected.”

“A healer? How did you two meet exactly?”

I glanced at Danny. “I rather not say, but I sustained some injuries that kept me bed ridden for a long period of time and I have been training harder than before in order to gain my strength back.”

“You seem stronger than before.”

“I believe that some of it has to do with the different chores she has had me do. They all involved some range of a particular motion or stress in my muscles coupled with the training I did with Danny.”

“You will introduce me correct?”

“You are here are you not?”

“Do not sass me Carmilla. I do not want to embarrass you in front of your new friends.”

“You said yourself I am stronger now, so it could be you getting embarrassed in front of everyone.”

“I sense a challenge being thrown.”

“Maybe another time.”

“I will hold you to that.” We stopped next to Danny. “Now go. You have a lot to discuss with your lover.” She smiled which made me pause. “Your lover. I have never been able to say those words in reference to you out loud. It is a nice change.”

I smiled brightly. “It truly is refreshing.”

She leaned over and hugged me tightly. She let out a heavy breath. “Now go. I will remain with Danny.”

I nodded my head then picked my way through the camp to my tent. Once inside, Ell was perched on our bed and thankfully no one had gotten injured yet today. I walked over to her and took a seat next to her then reached for her hand to lace our fingers together. Her thumb began to caress the back of my hand to sooth my nerves.

“You are leaving,” she stated breaking the silence.

I felt my mouth go dry. “I am,” I finally choked out.

“When?”

“At first light.”

She kept quiet. “That is not the worse news.”

I brought her fingers to my lips and kissed them tenderly. “No.”

“What is it?”

I tapped the fingers of my other hand against the back of hers that I was holding. “There is a trial that I will have to go through once I return in order to confirm that I have not been turned and there is a high possibility that it will kill me.”

“What does this trial entail?”

“I would rather not go into details.”

She tightened her hold on my hand. “Either I will have limited access to you or you will die? These are my options when you leave?”

“Yes.”

“That is not much to hope for.”

“I am aware.”

She sighed. “I cannot tell you not to go because that is your duty and that is your family, but I do wish you would stay.” She pulled our joined hands to her and kissed the back of my hand. “I will wait for word from you. If it does not arrive in five months’ time, then I will know what has happened.”

“You would wait that long?”

“You are worth waiting for.”

I leaned in and pressed a loving kiss to her lips. “I will try to stay alive.”

“You better.” She pulled away and reached for her coat. “Take this with you. I will feel better if you had it.”

“I will.” I stood from the bed and held my hand out to her. “Let us enjoy the rest of the day.”

She took my hand and got up as well. “Yes, let us.”

I led her back outside thankful that she did not press for more information or make the conversation longer. She must have sensed that I did not want to talk about it in depth which is something I greatly appreciate. She is never one to pry for more than I am willing to give. She knows I will say more when I am ready.

I introduced her to Mattie and was given an approving nod. We then went through our day as normally as possible, but our touches and gazes were longer than necessary with my looming departure drawing closer. My leaving was more evident when we went to sleep that night. We wrapped ourselves in each other’s arms and held on tightly not wanting to let go. It was a wish for time to stop, but time is no man’s friend. Before long the light of the rising sun creeped over the mountains and Mattie’s horse was brought to camp. I gave Ell one last kiss and could feel her hope in the way she held me before finally letting me go. She stood tall as she watched us leave and I could feel the ache in my chest begin to grow.

I closed my eyes for an instant letting go of the me that had the opportunity to live a different freer life and when I opened them, Carmilla Karnstein, Hunter of the House of Hollis and daughter of the House of Belmonde, seeped into my bones and resided in the coldness of my eyes. It was time to finish what I had started with Laura and then I can try for as normal a life as I can have.

* * *

 

**_Laura_ **

I leaned back to avoid the swing of the sword to my chest and neck area then lunged forward spearing the Hunter in the chest then kicking him off my blood drenched blade to spin and slash at the Hunter to my left who was bearing down on one of my men. Once fallen, my man followed me forward to strike at the next pair of opposing Hunters. I had had the hindsight to request the Hunters I had gathered on my march to the House of Truman to wear a coat and shirt of colors in order to distinguish ourselves apart from the mass of black that we are required to wear during the mourning period. Although it may be seen as blasphemy to break the mourning period with color, it is a necessary act of defiance to limit the amount of deaths caused by friendly blades. It is a difficult task to take in the face of all those in your company and to pay attention once in the heat of battle surrounded by fire and soaring arrows. It is much easier to distinguish by color.

I felt a searing pain shoot through my shoulder as I swung down on another opponent. I looked to see that an arrow had pierced through my shoulder and was lodged in it. I cut the arrow head off with my sword then felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see one of my own men behind me then watched as he swung his sword to cut the fletching end of the arrow off close to my shoulder so that the shaft of the arrow was not protruding out so vulnerably. I nodded my head in thanks then continued to cut my way through those Hunters who continued to flood the courtyard in challenge.

From the information I was able to gather from a Hunter who was returning to the House of Truman, Sir Truman had taken permanent residence inside his room and has refused to leave it until the mourning period for his son had ended. Knowing that under the tough exterior and fight for power that he exudes in every minute he is found under the public eye, he is a coward who would run at the first chance he is given which is why I made the primary objective of this raid to be to capture Sir Truman at all costs. It is unknown as to whether or not he has other routes of escape outside from the front doors of his house, but the swiftness in which my men were pushing forward would limit his frame of time to escape. Unfortunately my father’s orders were clear, leave no one who opposes us alive, but spare those who lay down their arms in the beginning. This means that even when Sir Truman is captured, those who fought against us will not be spared after laying down their arms. In my father’s eyes, we must eliminate as much of the possibility of a future revolt as we can.

It saddens me to have to execute all those fighting once Sir Truman is captured, but I must follow orders until I am the one giving them one day soon. My merciful nature may be viewed as weak, but I will try my best to do right by everyone. I have to be better. If I want the future to be filled with peace and compromise, I must do what I have to now in order to achieve that goal. I will learn how to deal with all of the horrible things I have had to do at a later time.

“We have captured him!” Someone shouted as I pulled my blade from the stomach of another opponent.

I looked up to see two of my men dragging Sir Truman down the stone corridor towards the stairs to be brought to the courtyard. There were four others with them ensuring that the two who held Sir Truman made it safely down to the courtyard as Sir Truman’s men fired arrows or threw themselves into the small group. I returned my gaze to the fight around me as our opponents shouted in anger and began to fight harder as if it would change the turn of events. It was between that or for wanting to not live knowing that their leader will soon be taken from them and they do not know how to work with others nor do they wish to. This house is full of families who have served for generations, in turn that leaves them being the ones most filled with pride and feeling as if they are better than all of the other houses because they are not as pure as this one.

I slashed open a throat spilling blood all over myself and turned to face the small group of men and Sir Truman. They shoved him to his knees then disposed of those enemies who tried to save him. I used my sword to lift his chin then pressed the tip of it to his neck.

“He was attempting to escape through a tunnel located behind a painting in the main hall,” one of my men spoke.

I leveled Sir Truman with a deathly glare. “For someone who portrays a brave crusader for power and strength, you are the biggest coward I have had the displeasure of knowing.” I lifted my head high and looked around the courtyard. “Your leader has been captured!” I shouted loudly drawing the attention from some of the small battles raging around me, but that did not stop them for long. “Put down your weapons! You have lost!” Sir Truman chuckled and I trained my eyes back on him. “What is so amusing to you?”

He laughed then grinned. “You will have to kill me in order for them to stop. Unlike the weaklings at your house, these ones are loyal and will keep going until I take my last breath.” To prove his point, the fighting continued.

“Well luckily for me, that can be arranged.”

“You will not do it. You are too fragile to do so. You are frail and delicate. It is the very reason as to why I pushed my son to marry you sooner. You are not fit to lead. You will run us to an early grave.”

“Well it is most regrettable that your son is no longer alive to see this moment to show the both of you how wrong you are.”

“Yes, well you can thank the filthy vampire who murdered him.”

I smugly smiled then leaned down drawing closer to him to whisper in his ear. “I did because I was the one who planned the whole incident.” I pulled back watching the horror on his face turn into seething anger.

“I knew you had something to do with it! You will pay!”

“Not before you do for starting a war with the wolves.” I raised my sword once more. “Say hello to your son for me.” I drew my sword back then plunged it into his chest directly through his heart. I watched as blood spilled from his wound and leaked from his mouth then pulled my sword free.

The fighting nearby stopped at once and murmurs began to ring out through the courtyard into the halls halting the other fights. Sir Truman’s troops dropped their weapons and fell to their knees in defeat. I stared into the eyes of those closest to me and saw the disappointment and life drain from their eyes. Their world had shattered now that both of their leaders were dead and unbeknownst to them, they will follow that fate. I looked to my men and nodded my head. They all gripped their weapons tightly not favoring the other order I had given them before this battle began. None of them felt right about it, but they knew they had to do it. They turned to their opponents and one-by-one executed them where they kneeled. The look of shock that crossed the dead’s faces seared themselves into my mind.

A massacre.

That is what this was. My father meant to murder them all and wipe this family from our history books as he has alluded to having done before. My men began to make their way to the exit of the house and others came in to collect our dead and with the alcohol to drench as much of the castle with it as they could. Once that was done, one of them brought me the first torch with a look of discomfort on their face. I took the torch in my hand and looked at the mass of dead bodies on the ground and the final ones being carried away to be buried properly. These faces will haunt me, but I will make it better. I have to.

I threw the torch onto a pile of hay soaked with alcohol and watched it catch fire then begin to spread. A few of the other men bearing torches did the same setting the house on fire and the bodies along with it. I turned and was the last one to leave taking the burden of these actions with me.

We marched back to the camp we had set up on the other side of the river hidden in the darkest parts of the forest. It would be midday soon and I ordered for everyone to rest and collect themselves before traveling back at first light tomorrow.

I walked into my tent and went to stand at the war table. I stared down at the plans that were created with the help of my generals and felt a raging anger build up in my body. I swept my arm over the table knocking down the small figurines mapping out locations and attack strategies. I slammed my fists against the table unleashing my wrath on the physical manifestation of what had just happened. Curse my father for ordering this of me! I gripped the edge of the table tightly in my hands. All those lives gone. There was no necessity for it. We could have taken them prisoner. And to not give them a proper burial. What monster have I become?

“Lady Hollis?” A tentative voice interrupted my internal conflict.

I stood tall and turned to face the Hunter. “What is it?”

He stepped forward holding a letter out to me. “A message from Lady Belmonde.”

I took the letter from him as calmly as possible even though the eagerness and dread thread their way through my nerves. “Thank you.”

He nodded his head then dismissed himself from my tent. I walked around the table to sit at the chair on the other side and hesitated to open the letter. There were only two outcomes to this letter. It will either be good news or bad. Either she found them alive or she found them dead. I stared at the letter and glared at her handwriting for being immaculate. I could not tell if she was ecstatic or grief-stricken. I took a deep breath then tore the seal of the letter unfolding it to reveal the news inside.

My heart stopped.

They are alive.

She found them and they are alive. I saw the wet spots expand on the letter and reached up to feel that tears were slowly sliding down my face and crashing onto the letter below. I brought a fist to my mouth and bit down as hard as I could on it to stifle the earth-shattering sob that clawed at my chest and throat to be released into the world. I moved my hand to press against my eyes as more tears streamed down my face and landed on the letter. I leaned back in my seat and laid the letter on the table as my sobs shook my entire body in relief.

I need to get back home. I have to get back home because my father has probably begun the trials and I need to be there. LaFontaine needs to be there. Oh no. LaFontaine has to be there. If they are not there, Danny is in danger of being discovered and it is less likely that Carmilla will survive. If I leave now my father will know that Mattie had word to me of this development and will question the circumstances of Theo’s death again. It will be what the remaining houses need in order to remove me from my title. I slammed my fist down on the table. Neither of them have any hope of surviving if no one is there. I would prefer LaFontaine because they have a legitimate reason to be near Carmilla and Danny because they are the doctor of our house, but even the others would be able to find a way to step in and help both of them. LaFontaine does keep a detailed book of where and what everything in their lab and medical room is for. If one of the others could be there, they would be able to use that book to give Danny the proper medicine to stop her fast healing and give Carmilla the medicine she needs to fight infection. There are ways to gain access to them, it is simply more difficult to do so.

I stood up and walked over to the basin of water situated below a mirror. I gripped the edges of the wooden podium it sat on and stared into the mirror. Tear tracks cut through the grime and blood on my cheeks and the person in the mirror was not me. Though I may have my faults and have much to learn, this person drenched in blood and dirt is not me. This person of war is who my father wishes for me to be, but I am not him. But the peaceful person I am trying to be is also not here. That person has had to leave in order for me to get to this point where I can start to take my life back. I know I should not depend on one person to keep me grounded, but I need Carmilla by my side. She is the only one who knows how to comfort me and how to remind me of who I am.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head. I will get there as quickly as possible tomorrow. My small army may not like the pace I will set, but I must return as soon as possible. I have to at least see Carmilla once more in case things do not end well. I have to.

 

 

 

 

 

My house loomed in the distance as we rode at a trot to it because of the many prisoners we had walking. A few of the prisoners had tried to revolt against us once they had found out what had happened to their fellow Hunters in the castle after Sir Truman had been killed and they had to be neutralized. Those prisoners still remaining were those who had no familial tie to any of the others nor did they have any true loyalties to their house. From the whispers that had been able to reach my ears, it seems that being a prisoner is no different from the life they had been living before because Sir Truman did not treat them as Hunters or viable assets because they were not from any notable or faithful family. There were also the few who were bastard children of predominant figures within their ranks that were bitter about not being able to claim their father’s blood. They were constantly pitted against the legitimate children and treated badly for being better or worse than them. They were trapped in a limbo of being someone and being no one. It does not matter to them either way now. They only want a home where they do not have to stare at their fathers’ faces or those of their siblings.

It was because of that we were able to cut our voyage by half a day. We left those who fought back buried in marked graves off the path and those left were looking to escape as quickly and as far as possible. As much as I did not want to leave the bodies off the side of the road, I knew my father would not have allowed them to be buried. It was better this way. At least there would be a body to pay respects to.

The gates to the house began to open up and I could spot Kirsch and LaFontaine outside them waiting for us to ride through. I let a bit of the weight sitting on my shoulders dissipate at the sight of them and slouched within my saddle. Although being home was a relief because I could finally see Carmilla, it was full of dread because of the fact she is most likely going through the trial right now. I swung off my horse as I reached the gates and LaFontaine briskly walked to meet me and grab the reins to my horse. They stuck to the side of my horse shielding themselves from the view of others.

“Your father had started the trial for Carmilla and Danny three days ago. Mattie was able to convince him to wait for my return since they would need a doctor throughout the process.”

“How are they?”

“I was able to improve the previous medicine to further prolong Danny’s healing time, so she is reacting as a normal human. Carmilla has begun to develop a small infection, but I have been trying to maintain it as much as possible, but it is spreading.”

“Is there a way for me to see them?”

“Tonight, after dinner. Your father has taken to locking himself up in his room after dinner.”

“Did he say why?”

“No, but I doubt he would to begin with.”

We arrived at the stables. “Has anyone else returned?”

“A few people have returned early from the first mourning period and have been training hard at the news of a looming war, but there are some still far away.”

“Has there been word sent for them to return immediately?”

“No. Your father has not mentioned anything and we delivered word to as many as we could.” I nodded my head. “What of your travels?” They asked.

“I would rather not talk about it.”

“That bad?”

“Worse.”

They tilted my head up to stare at the side of my neck. “It would seem so. You need to bathe. There is still blood caked on you.”

I jolted my head out of their grasp. “I am aware.” I pushed forward. “I will bathe after everyone has been settled in and fed.”

“You need to rest as well.”

“I have to report to my father first,” I dismissed. “Please make sure everyone is seen to.”

“I will.”

I strolled into the house and made my way through the halls to my father’s chambers. It does not look as if the other houses have arrived which is strange since they are less than a week’s travel if they march with haste. Something does not feel right. 

I reached my father’s chambers and knocked. “You may enter!” He called.

I pushed the doors opened. “Father.”

He glanced up and signaled for me to shut the doors. “Is it done?”

“Yes. We only brought a few prisoners back with us because some of them made the decision to try to attack us on our way here.”

“You disposed of them correct?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He sat and rubbed at his eyes. “I have sent scouts to discern where the other houses are because I have not received any news of where they are or how far they are from me.”

“I had wondered why there was no one here.”

“Yes, well fortunately we have until the end of the month to receive them and plan for war.”

“Indeed, but I see that you have not waited for them to theorize some plans of attack.”

He took in his war table. “No, I have not. I have gotten word from those who have returned home that there is movement from other wolf packs coming into our lands. I knew they would call in their own reinforcements, but we are starting off the war one faction down and the other houses nowhere in sight.” He sighed then stood up. “You must be tired. Go rest and we will discuss more on the matter tomorrow.”

“I have to see that my men have been accommodated and fed first.”

“Yes of course.” He stared down at his war table and began to move pieces around.

I took my leave and went to check on my men making sure they were fine and that the horses had been tended to as well since they will be needed for the war. I then went to my own bed chambers and saw that a bath had been drawn for me and clean clothes laid out on my bed. I stripped down then slowly lowered myself into the steaming water. Once I had eased fully into the tub, the doors to my chamber opened silently and Mattie slipped into my room.

“Have you seen her yet?”

“No. I spoke to my father first then had to check on my men.” I scratched my scalp trying to release the mounting pain. “LaFontaine explained that I would have more time after dinner since my father secludes himself in his room.”

“Yes, well LaFontaine is right about that, but your father has recently left after one of the scouts returned drenched in blood and with a message, so you have the time now.”

I sat up. “What happened?”

“I do not know, but something does not feel right.”

I groaned then stood up. “Let me dress and then you can take me to Carmilla. There is nothing I can do to help my father since he has left without leaving word for me.”

She nodded and folded her arms. “Did LaFontaine say what state the both of them were in?”

“Only that Carmilla is developing an infection,” I answered leaving out the part about Danny.

“Danny is healing like a human, so your father has not caught on to the fact that she is not showing signs of an infection either.”

I paused and turned to look at her. “You know?”

“Of course I do. It was not hard to figure out when I found them alive. And do not fret over having not told me. I would have made the same decision.”

I pulled on my boots then reached for my sword to strap it to my side. “I am glad you do not hold it against me.”

“I found my sister alive, that is all that matters to me.” She pulled the doors open and let me through before leading me to the trial room. “It is more than what LaFontaine told you, so be prepared.”

“How much worse is it?”

She shook her head. “You will have to see for yourself.”

We walked silently the rest of the way. I did my best to push aside the new mounting concern for what would force my father to leave the house without speaking to anyone and what had happened with the scout that had returned. I have to focus on the moment I have been waiting for for the past four months. After four months, I will be able to see Carmilla once again.

“Brace yourself,” Mattie warned as she pushed the door open slowly.

I took a deep breath then took my first step inside then another until I had cleared the door before I froze in my spot. The door shut behind me and my mouth went dry at the sight before me. Both of them were hanging by their wrists with silver chains cutting into them and blood dripping down the length of their arms. The stab wounds on their stomachs were open and bleeding through the plant mixture plastered onto them to help with keeping the wounds closed to outside factors that may cause infection. There was a silver blade stuck in their stomachs in an area that I know was not fatal to them other than there being an increase in their loss of blood as well as one lodged in their thighs. I moved closer to circle to their backs and hovered my fingers over Carmilla’s back. There was a small burn mark on her right shoulder and then there was a deep cut about four inches long down the left side with silver poured into it. As much of this would be dug out leaving a gaping hole in her back to be healed over time. There were also streaks of skin missing from her back from the lashings of a whip infused with silver.

I circled back around noticing a jagged scar across her stomach that had healed. I traced it with my fingertips knowing that it was caused by a claw. She had been injured by a wolf.

I swallowed down my heartache then cupped Carmilla’s face in my hands lifting her head gently to look at her face. “Carm,” I whispered. She did not respond. I pressed my forehead to hers. “Please do not leave me,” I begged. “Please. I need you. I will do what I have to, so please do not die on me.” I pecked her lips then pulled back.

“Come. There is nothing we can do for them and it will do you no good for your father to find you here.”

I looked to Mattie and saw a saddened frown on her face and pity in her eyes. “What are you not telling me?”

“What do you mean?”

“The look on your face. There is something that you are not saying.”

She clasped her hands together and schooled her face into a perfect neutral mask. “There is something we must discuss.”

I did not like the tone of her voice. “Let us go then.”  

I turned to Carmilla again and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head then spoke words of encouragement to Danny as well even though I knew she could not hear me. There was something that Mattie was not telling me and I wish she would blurt it out because it was not helping the fire of anxiety scorching through my insides. There was too much going on at once for me to divide them up and pay them enough attention. For now, I can only hope that LaFontaine will keep both of them alive and that Mattie will spit out the truth that lingered on the tip of her tongue.


End file.
